Patna (Bihar) [India], February 23 (ANI): Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Sunday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deposit more than Rs 22,700 crore of Kisan Samman Nidhi into the accounts of over nine crore farmers across the country on February 24 from Bihar's Darbhanga.

Speaking to the media at Patna Airport, Chouhan said, 'Tomorrow, the Prime Minister will visit Bihar and deposit more than Rs 22,700 crore of Kisan Samman Nidhi funds into the accounts of nine crore 80 lakh farmers across the country with a single click. The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi is a boon for small farmers.'

He also mentioned that he would discuss the establishment of the Makhana Board, which Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced in the recent Union Budget.

'Bihar is an extraordinary state. The talent here, the farmers, and especially the makhana (fox nut) are all remarkable. Currently, makhana farmers face many difficulties, and through technology, these problems will be addressed,' Chouhan said.

He added, 'This is why the Makhana Board is being established. Because with the formation of the Makhana Board, our effort is to ensure that there is a discussion with makhana farmers first. Today, I will sit with the makhana farmers and have a conversation because no one can better tell us what needs to be done than them.'

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her Budget speech, proposed to form a Makhana Board in the state of Bihar. Makhana or foxnuts, a nutritious food, is widely produced and consumed in Bihar.

Under One District One Product scheme, Makhana producers have benefited hugely. The Makhana Research Center has been given the status of a national institution, with Makhanas having also received a GI tag.

'Makhna Board will be established in Bihar to improve production, processing, value addition and marketing of Makhana. The people engaged in these activities will be organized into FPOs. The board will provide handholding and training support to Makhana farmers and will also work to ensure they receive the benefits of all relevant government schemes,' Sitharaman said.

A significant focus of the Prime Minister has been on ensuring that farmers can get better remuneration for their produce. With this in mind, on 29 February, 2020, he launched the Central Sector Scheme for Formation and Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPO), which helps farmers collectively market and produce their agricultural products.

Within five years, this commitment of the Prime Minister to the farmers has been fulfilled, with him marking the milestone of the formation of the 10,000th FPO in the country during the programme. (ANI)