Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav on Saturday urged farmers across the state to get their Farmer IDs created, announcing a campaign aimed at making access to government schemes and agricultural services easier for the farming community.

CM Dr Yadav made the appeal while virtually addressing the Balram Agricultural Festival organised at the Piparsama Agricultural Produce Market in Shivpuri district. The Chief Minister joined the event virtually from New Delhi on August 22.

Government teams to reach farmers

CM Dr Yadav said the state government has launched a special campaign to create Farmer IDs and assured farmers that they would not have to wander from office to office or stand in long queues.

Government teams will visit farmers directly and assist them in getting their Farmer IDs created, he said, urging every farmer to make use of the facility.

The Chief Minister also assured farmers that lack of money would not stand in the way of their agricultural activities. He said the government had taken a "sensitive decision" to provide advance fertiliser at zero per cent interest, ensuring that farmers do not have to worry about arranging funds for fertiliser.

He highlighted the growing popularity of Shivpuri's peanuts across the country and urged farmers not to remain restricted to traditional crops. Instead, he encouraged them to explore horticulture, dairy farming, fisheries and animal husbandry as additional sources of income.

March 31 loan repayment deadline scrapped

CM Dr Yadav said farmers would now get greater flexibility in repaying agricultural loans. The earlier requirement to repay loans by March 31 has been removed, allowing farmers to repay the amount at any point within one year.

Describing Shivpuri as a land blessed by rivers including the Ken, Betwa, Parbati, Sindh and Mahuar, he said the region had enormous agricultural potential. He also remembered freedom fighter Tatya Tope and described the Balram Jayanti festival as a celebration of farmers' self-respect.

E-Vikas 2.0 to simplify fertiliser purchases

The Chief Minister said the E-Vikas system has been made more effective, simple and farmer-friendly. Under E-Vikas 2.0, farmers will be able to purchase any one fertiliser of their choice without being compelled to buy a specific combination.

He also pointed to emerging opportunities beyond conventional farming, including homestays and tourism linked to the Madhav Tiger Reserve, saying these avenues could provide farmers with additional income.

Daytime power for certain crops

CM Dr Yadav announced that farmers growing gram and sugarcane next year would receive electricity during the daytime throughout the crop cycle, ending the need to depend on night-time power for irrigation.

He said this would spare farmers from risks associated with working in fields at night, including electric shocks and snake bites.

The Chief Minister also extended Raksha Bandhan greetings to farmers and women in the district, noting that funds under the Ladli Behna Scheme had been credited to beneficiaries' accounts ahead of the festival. He added that farmers were receiving Rs 12,000 annually under the Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme to help meet timely requirements such as seeds and fertilisers.