New Delhi. To provide easy access to farmers about government schemes, financial assistance and facilities related to farming, the Central Government has launched a revised Agri Welfare Portal. Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan started it on the Navami of Navratri. Its objective is to provide necessary information to the farmers through mobile, so that they do not have to visit government offices for small information.
Information about government schemes in one place
The new portal aims to provide information related to agricultural schemes, subsidies, application process and digital services. Farmers will also be able to get information related to initiatives like PM-Kisan, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and Agristack. This can reduce the time spent searching for information on different websites.
Help will also be available in farming
Through the portal, emphasis has been laid on providing useful information to the farmers like weather, modern farming methods, seeds, fertilizers and crop prices in the markets. By getting information at the right time, farmers will be able to take better decisions related to sowing, crop care and selling the produce. Online services and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) can also help in making the process of government assistance more transparent.
Useful for small farmers also
The portal has been designed for easy use on mobile and to run even on weak internet connections. A plan has also been announced to provide training in digital services to farmers through Krishi Vigyan Kendras, so that small and marginal farmers can take advantage of it.
Actually, Agri Welfare Portal is an important initiative towards giving farmers easy access to government schemes and agriculture related information. Its success will depend on how regularly the information is updated and how easily farmers are able to take advantage of it.