India creates 11 crore Farmer IDs ahead of March 2027 deadline
More than six crore farmers have received benefits through the ID-based system, the ministry says, as the initiative aims to simplify access to credit, insurance, procurement and disaster relief.
The unique digital identities are intended to simplify farmers’ access to government schemes, bank credit, crop insurance and disaster relief while reducing paperwork and repeated verification.
NEW DELHI: India has created 11 crore Farmer IDs under the Digital Agriculture Mission, reaching the target ahead of the March 31, 2027 deadline, Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said.
The target was achieved by the night of October 23, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare said in a statement on Saturday. The unique digital identities are intended to simplify farmers’ access to government schemes, bank credit, crop insurance and disaster relief while reducing paperwork and repeated verification.
Chouhan said the system would reduce the need for farmers to visit government offices and banks repeatedly or submit the same documents for different services.
The ministry said farmer IDs could simplify verification for agricultural loans and Kisan Credit Cards. They are also intended to support more transparent assessment and payment of crop insurance claims under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and faster delivery of disaster assistance to eligible farmers.
For procurement at minimum support price, the ministry said the digital system would help reduce intermediaries’ role and ensure farmers received the payments due for their produce.
More than six crore farmers have already received benefits under various schemes through the Farmer ID-based service delivery system, according to the ministry. The statement did not provide a scheme-wise breakdown.
The verified database is helping reduce fraud and duplicate verification, improve coordination between departments and strengthen the monitoring of agricultural programmes, it said.
The Digital Agriculture Mission received Union Cabinet approval on September 2, 2024. The Farmer Registry forms part of the digital public infrastructure being developed under the mission to support agricultural services.
Chouhan credited coordination between the Centre, states, Union Territory administrations and field-level teams for reaching the target ahead of schedule.
States and Union Territories are also taking steps, subject to applicable rules, to include tenant farmers and actual cultivators on the platform. The ministry said the objective was to prevent eligible farmers from being excluded from welfare and support programmes.
