PM Modi launches infra projects in Bengal, releases PM-KISAN instalment
Narendra Modi unveiled major projects in West Bengal and released the 23rd PM-Kisan instalment. The announcements tied farm support to a wider push in roads, railways and fisheries.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said West Bengal's double-engine government had started working at "superfast speed" to put the state on the path of recovery and development, as he unveiled and launched projects worth thousands of crores of rupees. He also released the 23rd instalment of the PM-Kisan scheme worth Rs 18,880 crore, benefiting more than 9.44 crore farmers across the country.
Speaking at the Paschimbanga Divas, or West Bengal Day, celebrations in Tarakeswar in Hooghly district, Modi was joined by Governor R N Ravi, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, ministers, MLAs, government functionaries and members of the public. He launched, dedicated and laid foundation stones for projects in railways, roads, agriculture, rural development, fisheries and animal husbandry.
Modi said the previous Left Front and TMC governments had created obstacles to development over several decades. "Decisions are being taken (by the BJP government) at lightning speed and work for stalled projects has restarted," he said. "It is in this direction that today, foundation stones have been laid and inauguration done of projects worth thousands of crores of rupees." He said the projects related to roads, agriculture and pisciculture would speed up Bengal's development and strengthen the rural economy.
Referring to the PM-Kisan payment, Modi said, "The 23rd instalment of the PM-Kisan fund has also been released today. Around Rs 19,000 crore have been directly transferred to the bank accounts of over nine crore farmers across the country today." He also said decades of misgovernance had pushed West Bengal back. "You have all seen the situation of Bengal during the previous governments. Large enterprises left the state while smaller ones stopped functioning," he said, adding that young people lost employment opportunities while infiltrators took control of resources. He said West Bengal, once a land of opportunities, had turned into a source of migration.
Among the agriculture-related measures announced were the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Agri Stack, the National Mission on Natural Farming and the Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana, according to an official statement. Modi launched the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana in West Bengal, which is aimed at extending crop insurance coverage to nearly 50 lakh farmers across about 14 lakh hectares of agricultural land in 2026-27. The scheme is expected to protect crops with an estimated insured value of around Rs 28,140 crore and support farmers through premium subsidy. "Farmers will not have to bear the brunt in case of crop loss," Modi said. The previous Mamata Banerjee government had not introduced the scheme in the state and had instead run its own crop insurance scheme for farmers.
Modi also said West Bengal was being linked to the Digital Agriculture Mission, under which a farmers' registry would be created through "Agristat" and village maps and details of sown crops would be made available digitally. He said the Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana had also been taken up in the state. "Four districts of West Bengal - Purulia, Darjeeling, Alipurduar and Jhargram are part of it," he said, adding that work in these districts would focus on raising farm output, improving storage facilities and easing loan disbursal to farmers.
In the infrastructure sector, Modi dedicated to the nation and laid foundation stones for railway projects worth around Rs 590 crore. He also inaugurated 49 road projects built under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY-III), covering more than 315 km across districts in West Bengal. He said that soon after the BJP government took office in the state, work on the stalled Chingrighata crossing in Kolkata for the Metro Railway's Orange line resumed and was completed within a few days. He also said a divisional railway hospital costing nearly Rs 100 crore would come up in Howrah and would provide emergency as well as treatment for critical medical problems.
On fisheries, Modi said people ranging from fishermen to traders were linked to pisciculture in Bengal. He said the capacity of the Fraserganj fishing harbour in South 24 Parganas district had been increased and a modern fish market had been set up at Sainthia in Birbhum district.
Modi said the state would not stop on the path of development and asserted that Bengal would "now create history". The event combined the release of farmer support funds with announcements in agriculture, transport and fisheries, as the prime minister set out the new government's development agenda for West Bengal.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said West Bengal's double-engine government had started working at "superfast speed" to put the state on the path of recovery and development, as he unveiled and launched projects worth thousands of crores of rupees. He also released the 23rd instalment of the PM-Kisan scheme worth Rs 18,880 crore, benefiting more than 9.44 crore farmers across the country.
Speaking at the Paschimbanga Divas, or West Bengal Day, celebrations in Tarakeswar in Hooghly district, Modi was joined by Governor R N Ravi, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, ministers, MLAs, government functionaries and members of the public. He launched, dedicated and laid foundation stones for projects in railways, roads, agriculture, rural development, fisheries and animal husbandry.
Modi said the previous Left Front and TMC governments had created obstacles to development over several decades. "Decisions are being taken (by the BJP government) at lightning speed and work for stalled projects has restarted," he said. "It is in this direction that today, foundation stones have been laid and inauguration done of projects worth thousands of crores of rupees." He said the projects related to roads, agriculture and pisciculture would speed up Bengal's development and strengthen the rural economy.
Referring to the PM-Kisan payment, Modi said, "The 23rd instalment of the PM-Kisan fund has also been released today. Around Rs 19,000 crore have been directly transferred to the bank accounts of over nine crore farmers across the country today." He also said decades of misgovernance had pushed West Bengal back. "You have all seen the situation of Bengal during the previous governments. Large enterprises left the state while smaller ones stopped functioning," he said, adding that young people lost employment opportunities while infiltrators took control of resources. He said West Bengal, once a land of opportunities, had turned into a source of migration.
Among the agriculture-related measures announced were the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Agri Stack, the National Mission on Natural Farming and the Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana, according to an official statement. Modi launched the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana in West Bengal, which is aimed at extending crop insurance coverage to nearly 50 lakh farmers across about 14 lakh hectares of agricultural land in 2026-27. The scheme is expected to protect crops with an estimated insured value of around Rs 28,140 crore and support farmers through premium subsidy. "Farmers will not have to bear the brunt in case of crop loss," Modi said. The previous Mamata Banerjee government had not introduced the scheme in the state and had instead run its own crop insurance scheme for farmers.
Modi also said West Bengal was being linked to the Digital Agriculture Mission, under which a farmers' registry would be created through "Agristat" and village maps and details of sown crops would be made available digitally. He said the Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana had also been taken up in the state. "Four districts of West Bengal - Purulia, Darjeeling, Alipurduar and Jhargram are part of it," he said, adding that work in these districts would focus on raising farm output, improving storage facilities and easing loan disbursal to farmers.
In the infrastructure sector, Modi dedicated to the nation and laid foundation stones for railway projects worth around Rs 590 crore. He also inaugurated 49 road projects built under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY-III), covering more than 315 km across districts in West Bengal. He said that soon after the BJP government took office in the state, work on the stalled Chingrighata crossing in Kolkata for the Metro Railway's Orange line resumed and was completed within a few days. He also said a divisional railway hospital costing nearly Rs 100 crore would come up in Howrah and would provide emergency as well as treatment for critical medical problems.
On fisheries, Modi said people ranging from fishermen to traders were linked to pisciculture in Bengal. He said the capacity of the Fraserganj fishing harbour in South 24 Parganas district had been increased and a modern fish market had been set up at Sainthia in Birbhum district.
Modi said the state would not stop on the path of development and asserted that Bengal would "now create history". The event combined the release of farmer support funds with announcements in agriculture, transport and fisheries, as the prime minister set out the new government's development agenda for West Bengal.
