CM Yogi calls for wider reach of Farmer Scholarship Program for students of agricultural families
Lucknow, July 31: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has given instructions to expand the scope of the Chief Minister’s Farmer Scholarship Scheme, run for meritorious children (children) of farmers, so that more and more eligible students can get its benefit.
The 172nd meeting of the Board of Directors of the Uttar Pradesh State Agricultural Produce Market Council was held on Friday under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. In the meeting, many important proposals related to farmer welfare, agricultural marketing and market system were approved, including the budget of Rs. 3025.49 crore for the year 2026-27.
Chief Minister Yogi directed that the state’s mandis be modernized and revitalized, equipping them with modern facilities to provide farmers with a better, transparent, and convenient marketing system. He placed special emphasis on strengthening all basic amenities in the mandis, including drinking water, sanitation, and lighting.
Chief Minister emphasized encouraging the establishment of agricultural produce processing units in the mandis on a public-private partnership (PPP) model.
He directed that the regulations for this be made more practical and investment-friendly, so that farmers can receive better prices for their produce, enhance value, and create new employment opportunities in rural areas. He also directed that more mandis be connected to the e-NAM (National Agricultural Market) platform, connect more farmers with the National Mission on Natural Farming, and ensure certification of organic products in every district.
The meeting approved the revised income and expenditure estimates for the financial year 2025-26 and the budget for the year 2026-27. For the year 2026-27, estimated receipts of ₹2228.59 crore and expenditure provisions of ₹3025.49 crore were approved.
The meeting was informed that the income of the state’s market committees has increased from ₹1991.33 crore in 2024-25 to ₹2305.80 crore in 2025-26, a significant increase of 15.79 percent.
The budget makes adequate provisions for the construction and expansion of market sites, the construction and repair of approach roads, rural haats, farmers’ markets, cattle shelters, hostels, land purchase for market committees, and other development works. A provision of ₹1212.02 crore has also been made to expedite previously approved construction projects. The
Board of Directors approved the proposal to extend the period of the Chief Minister’s Farmer Accident Assistance Scheme and the Chief Minister’s Farm and Barn Fire Accident Assistance Scheme from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2030. A provision of Rs 30 crore has been made in the budget for the year 2026-27 for the operation of these two schemes, so that farmers and their families will continue to get timely financial assistance in situations like accident or fire in the fields and barns.
The meeting also approved proposals to provide interest-free working capital to various cooperative institutions to make the procurement system of pulses and oilseeds more effective under the Price Support Scheme (PSS).
Decisions were also taken on various proposals related to the council’s financial and administrative matters. The Chief Minister also reviewed the compliance of the decisions taken in the previous board meeting and directed that all farmer-friendly and development works be completed in a quality manner within the stipulated timeframe.
