The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (MoA&FW) has urged states to expedite the issuance of digital Farmer IDs, known as ‘Kisan Pehchaan Patra.’

About Farmer ID or ‘Kisan Pehchaan Patra’

• Objective: A digital identity card for farmers to digitise their agricultural information and enhance access to government schemes.

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• Details included:
  • Land ownership data.
  • Livestock details.Crop patterns and types of crops cultivated.
  • Village land maps.
• The Farmer ID integrates with Aadhaar and state land records, forming the core of the Farmers’ Registry under the ‘Agri Stack’ initiative.
  • Agri Stack is a digital infrastructure initiative by the government aimed at uniting various stakeholders to enhance the agricultural sector in India.
  • It leverages data and digital services to achieve improved outcomes and benefits for farmers.
• The initiative is part of the Centre’s Digital Agriculture Mission.

Benefits for Farmers

• Access to facilities like Crop insurance and loans along with information on village land maps and crop data.
• A step toward digitising agricultural operations for better monitoring and support.
• Budget Allocation: Total project cost of ₹2,817 crore with central government contribution of ₹1,940 crore.
  • Special Assistance Scheme: ₹5,000 crore allocated by the Finance Ministry in August 2024 for creating the Farmers’ Registry.
  • Timeline for Access: Funds available to states until March 2025 under the Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment 2024-25.

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• Government Targets: Digital identities to be created for 11 crore farmers in phases:
  • FY2024-25: 6 crore farmers.
  • FY2025-26: 3 crore farmers.
  • FY2026-27: 2 crore farmers.

Implementation Strategy

• Camp-Mode Approach: States to organise camps for rapid and inclusive farmer registration.
• Incentives for States:
• • ₹15,000 per camp at the field level.
  • ₹10 per Farmer ID generated.
  • Funding sourced from the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme.
• Progress Across States: Leading states in issuance of Digital Farmer ID Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh.
  • States like Assam, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha are still in the field-testing phase.