New Delhi, July 17: The Lok Sabha on Wednesday approved the demands for grants for ministers of rural development, agriculture and farmers welfare for 2019-20. The demands were approved by a voice vote after a reply by Rural Development and Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar who said that PM-Kisan initiative was a significant step to help small and marginal farmers. He said there were 14.5 crore farmers in the country of whom 12.5 crore had less than 10 bigha land and their average income was on the lower side. LS Adjourned After Marathon Discussion on Demands for Grants Related to Agriculture, Rural Ministries.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid attention to them and launched PM-Kisan," Tomar said. He said that money had gone straight to the accounts of farmers in states which had given their lists. Answering opposition criticism that the money being paid to farmers was very less under the scheme, the minister asked if any such programme to help farmers had been launched in the past.

"A sum of Rs 87,000 crore is going directly in the pockets of farmers," he said. PM-Kisan, which became operational from December 1, 2018, entails income support of Rs.6000 per year in three equal installments to small and marginal farmer families having combined landholding/ownership of up to 2 hectares.