Varanasi, June 18: After releasing the 17th instalment of the PM-KISAN scheme to around 9.26 crore beneficiary farmers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he has always considered farmers, youth, women and the poor as the strong pillars of Viksit Bharat.

"I have considered farmers, youth, women and the poor as the strong pillars of Viksit Bharat. I have started my third term with their empowerment. As soon as the government was formed, the first decision taken was related to farmers and poor families. Whether it is building 3 crore new houses for poor families across the country or taking forward the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, these decisions will help crores of people," PM Modi said on Tuesday during his first visit to Varanasi after being reelected from his constituency for the record third term. PM Narendra Modi Releases 17th Installment of PM KISAN Scheme Worth More Than Rs 20,000 Crore (Watch Video).

PM Narendra Modi in Varanasi

Speaking about the event in Varanasi, PM Modi said, "Today's programme is also going to strengthen this path of developed India. Rs 20,000 crore of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi have reached the bank accounts of crores of farmers across the country...Here, Rs 700 crores have also been deposited in the accounts of farmers of Varanasi."

The Prime Minister said that benefits are being transferred to the rightful beneficiaries with the help of technology and several rules pertaining to the scheme have also been simplified. "I am happy that technology has been used better to deliver benefits to the right beneficiaries in PM Kisan Samman Nidhi. Just a few months ago, during the Vikasit Bharat Sankalp Yatra, more than 1 crore farmers joined this scheme. The government has also simplified many rules to get the benefit of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi..." PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister said that farmers play an important role to realise the dream of Viksit Bharat. "Farmers will play an important role in making India the third largest economy in the world. We need to think on global terms, think of the global market...Now we are taking the country to new heights in the global market of packaged food. My dream is that there should be some food grain or fruit product from India on every dining table in the world..." PM Narendra Modi Set To Visit Uttar Pradesh, Bihar on June 18-19; To Participate in PM Kisan Samman Sammelan in Varanasi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath also performed pooja at the Dashashwamedh Ghat in Varanasi after the programme. On developing Kashi, a heritage city, PM Modi said, "Our Kashi has been the capital of culture. Our Kashi has been the capital of education. Our Kashi has been the capital of all knowledge. But along with all this, Kashi has become such a city which has shown to the entire world that even a heritage city can write a new chapter of urban development. The mantra of development as well as heritage is visible everywhere in Kashi. This development is not only empowering Kashi, it is also benefitting those who come here from Purvanchal for work."

Earlier in the day, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan felicitated Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Varanasi.

PM-KISAN scheme was launched in 2019, to supplement the financial needs of all land-holding farmers subject to certain exclusion criteria of higher income status. The financial benefit of Rs 6,000 per year in three equal installments, every four months, is transferred into the bank accounts of farmers' families across the country through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode.

Till now over Rs 3.04 lakh crores has been disbursed to more than 11 crore farmers across the nation and with this release, the total amount transferred to the beneficiaries since the inception of the scheme has crossed well over Rs 3.24 lakh crores.

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