Centre Pushes Digital Farmer ID, Tight Fertiliser Monitoring and MSP Procurement Reforms in High-Level Review Meeting

In a major push to strengthen India's agricultural ecosystem through digital integration, transparency, and efficient service delivery, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare and Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, chaired a high-level virtual meeting with state agriculture ministers to review progress on key reforms, including Farmer ID creation, fertiliser availability, and MSP procurement systems.

The meeting underscored the Centre's strategy to modernise agriculture through technology-driven governance, improved supply chain management, and direct farmer engagement, while ensuring equitable access to resources and fair pricing.

Digital Farmer ID Drive Gains Momentum

A key highlight of the review was the rapid progress in the rollout of Farmer IDs, a foundational digital initiative aimed at integrating farmer data across multiple domains.

• 9.25 crore Farmer IDs have already been created

• Coverage spans 19 states

The Minister described Farmer ID as a transformational tool that connects farmers to:

• Land records

• Crop data

• Livestock and fisheries information

He directed states to:

• Launch joint campaigns between agriculture and revenue departments

• Achieve 100% farmer coverage within six months

• Expand awareness beyond PM-Kisan beneficiaries to include all eligible farmers

This initiative is expected to form the backbone of a unified agricultural database, enabling targeted policy interventions, subsidies, and services.

Zero Tolerance on Fertiliser Shortages and Black Marketing

Addressing fertiliser supply ahead of upcoming agricultural cycles, the Minister issued strict directives to ensure:

• No shortage of fertilisers across states

• Crackdown on hoarding and black marketing

• Monitoring of illegal cross-border movement of fertilisers, especially in sensitive regions

He called for the adoption of a technology-based equitable distribution system to ensure that fertilisers reach farmers:

• As per actual demand

• At regulated prices

Simultaneously, states were urged to promote:

• Balanced fertiliser usage

• Organic and natural farming practices

The Minister also praised Haryana's "Meri Fasal, Mera Byora" initiative as a best-practice model for crop data management and farmer services.

Strengthening MSP Procurement Under PM-AASHA

The meeting reviewed procurement operations for pulses and oilseeds under the PM-AASHA scheme, which ensures farmers receive Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their produce.

Recent approvals have enabled procurement across multiple states, covering key crops such as:

• Chana, moong, urad, arhar, groundnut

• Rapeseed/mustard, masur, sunflower, kusum

Participating states include Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh.

To enhance transparency and efficiency, the Minister mandated:

• Procurement limited to Fair Average Quality (FAQ) produce

• Aadhaar-linked farmer registration

• Mandatory biometric or facial authentication at procurement centres

• Direct payments via Aadhaar-enabled DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer)

States were also instructed to:

• Increase the number of procurement centres

• Ensure timely grievance redressal

• Procure directly from farmers to eliminate intermediaries

Regional Agriculture Conferences to Drive Zone-Specific Solutions

In a move toward region-specific agricultural planning, the Centre announced the organisation of Regional Agriculture Conferences, dividing the country into five agro-climatic zones.

• The first conference for the Western Zone will be held in Jaipur on April 7

These conferences aim to:

• Address zone-specific challenges

• Promote climate-resilient agriculture

• Encourage knowledge-sharing among states

VKSA Campaign to Strengthen Lab-to-Land Linkages

Building on last year's success, the Minister called for the relaunch of the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan (VKSA) in May.

• Previous campaign covered 60,000+ villages across 728 districts

• Scientists engaged directly with farmers to address field-level challenges

The upcoming campaign will:

• Run for 15–20 days

• Focus on technology dissemination and farmer awareness

• Promote improved crop varieties and modern practices

Key priority areas include:

• Soil health management

• Balanced fertiliser use

• Adoption of quality seeds

The campaign will be supported by:

• Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)

• Ministry of Agriculture

• State-appointed nodal officers

Driving Transparency, Efficiency and Farmer Welfare

Concluding the meeting, Shri Chouhan emphasised that:

• Ensuring fair prices

• Maintaining transparent procurement systems

• Strengthening distribution mechanisms

are critical responsibilities of state governments in building a resilient agricultural sector.

The meeting was attended by agriculture ministers and representatives from several key states, including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Haryana, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh.

Outlook: Toward a Digitally Integrated Agricultural Economy

The Centre's latest directives reflect a broader shift toward:

• Digital governance in agriculture

• Data-driven policy implementation

• Farmer-centric service delivery models

If effectively implemented, these measures could significantly enhance:

• Agricultural productivity

• Market efficiency

• Farmer incomes

while ensuring greater transparency and accountability across the sector.