18 June 2026 :
With the aim of giving new momentum to the Central Government’s resolve of ‘Viksit Bharat, Viksit West Bengal’, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will inaugurate, dedicate to the nation and lay the foundation stone of several important projects in various sectors including agriculture, rural development, fisheries and railways from Hooghly district of West Bengal on June 20. During this, along with releasing the 23rd installment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), he will also launch important initiatives like the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and the restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme, Agritech under the Digital Agriculture Mission, the National Natural Farming Mission and the Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana which will give wide strength to farmers’ income, rural infrastructure and inclusive development and will also change the agricultural landscape of West Bengal.
Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare’, and Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan informed that this national level programme to be held in West Bengal, with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi as the chief guest, will prove to be a historic opportunity for farmers, rural communities and youth. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Central Government’s resolve is to make eastern India a strong centre of agriculture, infrastructure and industrial development and the programme on June 20 is an important milestone in the direction of taking this vision to the ground.
Major gifts in the field of agriculture and farmers welfare
Shri Chouhan informed that during the programme, Prime Minister Shri Modi will release the 23rd instalment of ‘PM-KISAN’ from Tarakeshwar in Hooghly district. Under this, an amount of approximately Rs. 18,880 crore will be transferred through DBT to the accounts of more than 9.44 crore farmers across the country which will strengthen the income security of small and marginal farmers. He informed that in West Bengal alone, more than 45.35 lakh beneficiary farmers will receive an instalment of approximately Rs. 907 crore. Along with this, the total amount distributed under the PM-KISAN scheme in the state will exceed Rs. 15,055 crore while the total distribution across the country since the launch of the scheme in 2019 will exceed Rs. 4.46 lakh crore.
Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh informed that Prime Minister Shri Modi will also launch the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and the restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) in West Bengal. During the financial year 2026-27, the target has been set to provide crop insurance security to approximately 1.10 crore farmers on 30 lakh hectares of agricultural land under these schemes, under which crops worth approximately Rs. 28,140 crore will come under insurance protection.
Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan informed that under the Digital Agriculture Mission, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will launch the Agritech platform in West Bengal which will provide an integrated digital platform for services like fertiliser distribution, Kisan Credit Card, direct benefit transfer and government procurement based on Minimum Support Price (MSP). This will provide timely information, transparent services and better market opportunities to farmers.
Shri Chouhan informed that Prime Minister Shri Modi will also launch the National Mission on Natural Farming, under which, according to the approved action plan, 346 natural farming clusters will be established in 17,300 hectares of the state in the financial year 2026-27. These clusters will benefit 43,250 farmers with bio-based inputs, training and better access to markets, along with encouraging large-scale transformation in the direction of natural farming through bio-based resource centres and agricultural friends.
Along with this, PM Shri Narendra Modi will also launch the Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana, which will be implemented in Purulia, Darjeeling, Alipurduar and Jhargram districts. The objective of this scheme is to increase agricultural productivity, encourage crop diversification, strengthen post-harvest infrastructure such as storage and processing and ensure integrated implementation of various rural development schemes which will create new employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for farmers and rural youth.
Programmes related to rural development and livelihood
While giving information about initiatives related to rural development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will inaugurate 49 road projects costing more than Rs. 213 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY-III). These roads with a length of more than 315 kilometres will provide better connectivity to various rural areas of the state with towns and cities which will enable farmers’ agricultural produce to reach the market on time and will also make it easier for rural students and patients to reach educational and health institutions.
Highlighting development in the fisheries sector, he informed that the Prime Minister will inaugurate the modernised and expanded fisheries harbour in Fraserganj of South 24 Parganas district and the modern fisheries market constructed in Birbhum district. These projects will strengthen fisheries infrastructure, provide better storage and marketing facilities to fishermen and create new employment opportunities at the local level along with an increase in export capacity.
Under an important initiative in the animal husbandry and dairy sector, the Prime Minister will inaugurate the Regional Semen Production Laboratory and Goat Semen Bank established at a cost of more than Rs. 6 crore in Harinaghatta of Nadia district. This is the first facility of its kind in eastern India established under the National Livestock Mission which will play a decisive role in scientific animal breeding, genetic improvement and increase in livestock productivity and will help in increasing the income of farmers and livestock rearers associated with goat rearing.
Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that all these schemes related to fisheries, animal husbandry and rural infrastructure will together prepare a strong foundation for inclusive and sustainable rural development in West Bengal. Through these, a self-reliant rural economy, better livelihood opportunities and the spirit of ‘Vocal for Local’ will get a solid boost.
Major projects of Railways and other ministries
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will also inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of important railway projects costing approximately Rs. 591 crore in West Bengal. These projects will make an important contribution in the direction of strengthening railway infrastructure, providing better facilities to passengers, increasing safety and further strengthening the connectivity of the state and eastern India. The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of a new 300-bed divisional railway hospital to be built at a cost of Rs. 99 crore in Howrah which will be equipped with modern health infrastructure, advanced diagnostic facilities, specialist medical services and emergency treatment. This hospital will provide better health services not only to railway employees and their families but also to the surrounding citizens.
Similarly, the foundation stone of a road over bridge to be built at a cost of Rs. 71 crore between Howrah and Radhamohanpur in East Medinipur district will be laid which will increase the safety of both rail and road users along with ensuring uninterrupted traffic. In addition, the Sankrail-Santragachi third line project developed at a cost of Rs. 421 crore in Howrah district will be dedicated to the nation which will ensure reduction in raking on one of the busiest rail sections of the country, increase in operational capacity and smooth movement of passenger and freight trains.
All these railway projects will accelerate and secure goods and passenger transport along with giving new momentum to the development of industrial investment, tourism and logistics sectors. This will further strengthen the spirit of ‘Gati-Shakti’ for eastern India, especially West Bengal and will lead to an increase in direct and indirect employment opportunities.
A big step in the direction of inclusive and ‘Viksit West Bengal’
Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that the inaugurations and foundation stone laying to be done by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on June 20 will prepare a solid foundation for comprehensive change in all major sectors like basic infrastructure, agriculture, fisheries, animal husbandry, health and transport in West Bengal. He expressed confidence that these initiatives will provide decisive help in empowering farmers and livestock rearers, creating new employment opportunities for youth and taking the social-economic progress of the state to new heights which will prove to be a milestone in the direction of realising the goal of a ‘Viksit West Bengal’ and ‘Developed India’.
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