On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the 24th instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme from Bhildi in Gujarat’s Banaskantha district. Through this, more than ₹18,680 crore was transferred directly into the accounts of over 9.34 crore farmer families across the country via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
This instalment was released as part of a national-level ‘PM Kisan Utsav Diwas’ event held under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi. The initiative aims to strengthen financial assistance for farmers and provide income support within the agricultural sector. Farmers in Gujarat were among the major beneficiaries, with over ₹1,051 crore transferred to the accounts of more than 52.33 lakh farmer families in the state. Gujarat’s Agriculture Minister, Jitu Vaghani, shared these details with the media after reviewing the preparations for the event.
According to Vaghani, a total of over ₹4.47 lakh crore has been provided to more than 11 crore farmer families nationwide through the first 23 instalments of the scheme. In Gujarat alone, more than ₹24,137 crore has been disbursed to 69.26 lakh beneficiary farmers to date.
The release of the 24th instalment was broadcast live across the country. In Gujarat, 34 district-level events and over 2,100 cluster-level programs were organised to ensure the participation of farmers. These events were attended by ministers, Members of Parliament (MPs), Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), public representatives, agricultural scientists, and senior officials.
During the event, beneficiary farmers were also presented with approval letters for various schemes under the Agriculture and Horticulture departments. Under the PM-KISAN scheme, eligible farmer families receive income support at regular intervals, which assists them in their agricultural activities and helps meet their household needs.
The event held in Bhildi also featured the inauguration and foundation stone laying of several agriculture and animal husbandry projects in the Banaskantha district. These include the ‘Bharat Bovine Breeding and Research Centre’ (built at a cost of Rs 328.77 crore), two proposed compressed biogas plants by Banas Dairy in Tharad and Radhanpur, the expansion of a potato processing unit, and an automated storage and retrieval system for Ultra-High Temperature (UHT) products.
The Prime Minister’s visit will also extend to Ekta Nagar. On Friday evening, he will visit the ‘Bharat Parv’ pavilion located within the Statue of Unity complex and watch a play titled ‘Anandamath’, presented by the National School of Drama (NSD).
Furthermore, on October 31—the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, observed as National Unity Day—the Prime Minister will offer floral tributes at the Statue of Unity and inaugurate or lay the foundation stones for various development projects in Ekta Nagar. Additionally, he will participate in the ‘Aarambh 2026’ programme, interact with trainee civil servants, and review the parade at the main National Unity Day ceremony. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi will also be present alongside the Prime Minister during these events.
