Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday, 18 June 2026 took to X to credit Prime Minister Narendra Modi with delivering two landmark firsts for India's farming community — a guaranteed irrigation scheme and a direct income-support programme — calling them historic interventions for the annadata (food-provider) farmers of the country.

In his post, CM Yogi wrote: 'Pehli baar Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai ki guarantee mili... Pehli baar annadata kisanon ke liye Kisan Samman Nidhi ki ghoshna hui...' — translated: 'For the first time, a guarantee of Prime Minister's agricultural irrigation was given... For the first time, the Kisan Samman Nidhi was announced for the food-provider farmers...' He attributed both achievements directly to PM Narendra Modi.

Context

CM Yogi's post frames two central government schemes as unprecedented milestones in Indian agricultural policy. The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) and the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) are both Union government programmes that have been at the centre of the BJP's farmer-welfare narrative since 2015 and 2019 respectively. The statement comes amid the ongoing political focus on rural and agrarian constituencies ahead of state and national electoral cycles.

Policy Backdrop

PMKSY was launched in 2015 with the objective of expanding irrigation coverage and improving water-use efficiency across Indian agriculture, operating through a convergence of pre-existing central schemes. PM-KISAN was announced in December 2018 and rolled out from February 2019, providing an annual direct cash transfer of Rs 6,000 to eligible landholding farmer families in three equal instalments. Both programmes are funded through a centre-state cost-sharing model and implemented at the state level.

Uttar Pradesh has consistently been among the largest beneficiary states under PM-KISAN, given its large rural population and the high proportion of small and marginal farmers in the state's agricultural economy. The scheme reaches farmer accounts directly through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanism, bypassing intermediaries.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary beneficiaries of both schemes are small and marginal farmers — those holding less than two hectares of land — who form the bulk of India's farming households. For this segment, the Rs 6,000 annual support under PM-KISAN provides a modest but guaranteed income floor, while PMKSY targets the persistent challenge of rain-fed agriculture by expanding access to assured irrigation sources. Together, the schemes address two of the most cited drivers of agrarian distress: income volatility and water insecurity.

State governments, including Uttar Pradesh, play a critical role in identifying eligible beneficiaries, maintaining land records, and ensuring last-mile delivery of irrigation infrastructure. CM Yogi's public endorsement reinforces the state administration's alignment with the Centre's farm-welfare agenda.

What's Next

Analysts and farm-sector observers will watch for any revision in PM-KISAN transfer amounts or expansion of PMKSY coverage in the next Union Budget cycle, which could signal the government's continued prioritisation of agrarian welfare. State-level utilisation reports for PMKSY funds will also indicate how effectively irrigation guarantees are translating into on-ground infrastructure. CM Yogi's framing of these schemes as historic 'firsts' suggests the BJP intends to keep farmer welfare at the centre of its political messaging in Uttar Pradesh.