Koppal: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday urged farmers to make full use of the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) and Pradhan Mantri Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY) to turn agriculture into a profitable venture.
Speaking after inaugurating the Farmers‘ Training and Common Facility Centre in Koppal district, Sitharaman, a Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka, said the new generation GST reforms will also benefit agrarian communities.
The facility was set up using her MP Local Area Development (MPLAD) fund.
PMFME was launched to support value addition in agricultural products. The Centre provides financial and technical assistance and helps businesses upgrade under the scheme, she said.
Sitharaman added that the government aims to promote rural entrepreneurship to generate jobs in villages.
“More than Rs 3,700 crore funds have been given by the Centre to states till now since 2020. Loans have been provided to farmers. Rs 11,000 crore has been sanctioned for farmers. More than one lakh agriculture entrepreneurs have emerged,” she said.
On PMDDKY, Sitharaman said, “Rs 24,000 crore budgetary allocation has been made in 2025-26 for this scheme. Koppal is one of the districts to benefit under it.”
The scheme aims to boost agricultural productivity, encourage crop diversification, and improve livelihoods in 100 low-performing agricultural districts.
The union minister also noted that 43 lakh farmers in Karnataka benefit from the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, which provides Rs 6,000 per year in three instalments of Rs 2,000 each through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
Sitharaman highlighted reforms under the next-generation GST. “Just a month ago, the GST Council announced the next-generation GST ahead of Deepavali, following PM Modi’s direction to reform it. We implemented the changes during Navaratri. Taxes on farm equipment, solar power, tractors, and agricultural machinery have been either waived or cut to five per cent, down from 12 per cent,” she said.
She added that GST has also been reduced on bio-pesticides, micronutrients, and bio-fertilisers. “We want farmers to prosper.”
The facility, set up by NABARD with state government support, will process and store 840 tonnes of mango and 600 tonnes of papaya. Products made here are certified by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.
According to Sitharaman, NABARD is providing training to ensure farmers can fully utilise the facility.
“This is a good step towards improving the lives of ‘annadata’ (farmers) in Koppal district, which is considered the Akshaya Patra of north Karnataka,” she said, noting that the project reflects Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Vocal for Local’.
Sitharaman also thanked the Karnataka government for assisting in setting up the facility smoothly and said she is utilising her MPLAD funds across all seven districts of Kalyana Karnataka.
