Farmer's Day 2022: History And Significance

Kisan Diwas or National Farmers Day is celebrated on 23 December across India to praise the farmers for their contribution as they are known as the spine of India. They produce food for around 141 crore people in India and food to export around the world to generate revenue for the country.

The day is celebrated in honour and memory of the birth anniversary of the fifth Prime Minister of India, Choudhary Charan Singh, who was born on the same day in 1902.

Farmer’s day is celebrated across the globe for distinct motives.

History
Chaudhary Charan Singh, the country's fifth prime minister, served the country briefly. Singh was also known as a farmer's leader as he was from a farmer's family. He brought up several welfare schemes for the farmers. He wrote several books on farmers and their difficulties, describing various keys to enhancing the lives of the farmers in the nation. 

In 1939, he introduced a Debt Bill to reduce the peasantry from moneylenders and nullified Zamindari from Uttar Pradesh by bringing in the Zamindari Abolition Act of 1950. In 1960 Singh brought in the Land Holding Act 1960, imposing a boundary of land held by an individual or enterprise, also known as the land ceiling, thereby entitling the government to reapportion spare land to the landless.

Hence, the government, in 2001, decided to mark Charan Singh's birth anniversary as Kisan Diwas.

Significance
On this day, multiple events are arranged across the nation each year. The agriculture community is immensely affected by these events, giving them a forum to convey their needs and goals. Farming scientists illustrate the most recent creations in science and technology to benefit farmers and maximise their productivity. The government also supports farmers by holding contests and awarding winners.

Some Of The Agricultural Schemes Introduced by Central Government 

PM-Kisan Yojana 
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Yojana, introduced in 2018, intends to provide Rs. Six thousand in three instalments per year as minimum income to 120 million small and borderline farmers of India with smaller than two hectares of landholding. 

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Bandhan Yojana
The Scheme aspires to provide a minimum pension of Rs. 3000/month to marginalised farmers at 60. The farmers are mandated to make monthly 55 to 200 depending on their age, as those between 18-45 can apply for the Scheme. 

Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana 
In this Scheme, a farmer has to pay a maximum compensation of 2 per cent for Kharif, 1.5 per cent for Rabi food and oilseed crops, and 5 per cent for annual commercial crops and the remaining part of the actuarial or bided premium is equally shared by Centre and state government. A vital purpose of the Scheme is to promote rapid claims settlement. The claims should be resolved within two months of harvest, subject to the timely provision of both yield data & share of premium subsidy by the State Government. 

Kisan Credit Card Scheme
The Scheme provides short-term credit to cultivators in the agriculture, fisheries, and animal husbandry sector to buy tools and other expenses. Many banks offer  Kisan Credit Card (KCC), including State Bank of India (SBI),  Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC), Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India (ICICI), and Axis. 

Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana
The Scheme strives to facilitate organic cultivation in India to enhance soil health and organic content in India, thereby strengthening the net income of the farmers. 

National Agriculture Market (e-NAM)
National Agriculture Market gives an e-marketing platform at the national level and endorses the creation of infrastructure to promote e-marketing. This new market process is revolutionising agriculture markets by ensuring better price finding. It also carries transparency and competition to allow cultivators to get improved remuneration for their crop, moving towards a 'One Nation One Market,' as per Krishi Jagran.