New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday revised the progress of two key agriculture-related schemes – Soil Health Cards and Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.
Modi was informed that 16 states and territories of the union have completed the first cycle of distribution of soil health cards and the remaining states are likely to complete the same within weeks.
In reviewing progress, Modi stated that “appropriate controls should be made for variation, both within a sampling network and through different soil testing laboratories, which would help ensure the quality of the reports.”
Modi also emphasized that soil health cards should be printed in the local dialect of the area, so farmers can read and understand them easily.
Encouraging the rapid adoption of the latest technology, Narendra Modi said soil testing should be possible through manual devices. He urged officials to explore the possibility of involving budding companies and entrepreneurs in this exercise.
In reviewing the second draft, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Prime Minister Modi was informed that in the Kharif season of 2016 and the Rabbi season of 2016-17, claims of more than 7,700 rupees have already been paid and more of 90 lakh farmers have benefited from that.
Officials also said that the latest technology, including smartphones, remote sensing, satellite data, and drones, is being used for the rapid collection of data regarding crop insurance claims.
Senior officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, NITI Aayog and the PMO were present during the review meeting.
