Agriculture Minister Proposes Direct Benefit Transfer for Fertiliser Subsidy to Farmers

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan proposed transferring the central government's annual Rs 1.7 lakh crore fertiliser subsidy directly to farmers' bank accounts via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). He stated this would empower farmers to choose fertilisers and quantities, ensuring they are the actual subsidy beneficiaries. Currently, subsidies are routed to companies after verified sales. Chouhan also emphasized the need for stronger monitoring of funds for agricultural mechanisation and modern irrigation technologies.