29 January 2026·PIB

INCREASE IN AGRICULTURAL INPUT QUALITY, FARM MECHANISATION, MARKET SUPPORT, CROP INSURANCE AND CREDIT LEAD TO HUGE POSITIVE OUTCOMES: ECONOMIC SURVEY

In this note

1. At a Glance

The Economic Survey 2025-26 (tabled by FM Nirmala Sitharaman) frames Indian agri-productivity as a product of in-situ + post-harvest interventions across five levers — input quality, mechanisation, market support, insurance, and credit [1][2].
For UPSC, this is a one-stop hook covering PMKSY, PMFBY, KCC/MISS, e-NAM, SMAM, SMSP, PM-KISAN, Soil Health Card — recurring Prelims + GS-III mains material.

Economic Survey 2025-26 tabled in Parliament on 29 January 2026 highlighting flagship farm-sector outcomes [1].
Coincides with continued post-2024 election thrust on doubling farmer income, MSP debate, and the run-up to Union Budget 2026-27.

Sub-Mission on Seeds & Planting Materials (SMSP) — under NMAEH; seeds being the lowest-cost yet highest-leverage input [1][3].
Soil Health Card scheme — launched 2015 ("Swasth Dharaa, Khet Haraa"); revamped grid-sampling regime (2.5 ha irrigated / 10 ha rain-fed) using GPS [3].
PMKSY — 2015-16, umbrella scheme ("Har Khet Ko Pani" + PMKSY-AIBP + Per Drop More Crop + Watershed) [3].
PMFBY — Kharif 2016, replacing NAIS/MNAIS [2].
e-NAM — launched 14 April 2016 as pan-India electronic mandi platform [2].
PM-KISAN — Feb 2019, ₹6,000/yr DBT to landholding farmers [1].
KCC — 1998 (NABARD/RBI); MISS rationalised interest subvention.

Lever	Implementing body	Key number (ES 2025-26)
Seed Villages (SMSP)	DA&FW, Min. of Agriculture	6.85 lakh villages; 1,649.26 lakh quintals quality seeds [1][3]
Irrigation (PMKSY)	DA&FW + MoJS	Gross irrigated/cropped area: 41.7% (2001-02) → 55.8% (2022-23) [1][3]
Soil Health Card	DA&FW	25.55 crore cards issued [1][3]
PM-KISAN	DA&FW	₹4.09 lakh crore to >11 crore farmers in 21 instalments [1]
PMFBY	DA&FW	4.19 crore farmers insured; 6.2 crore ha in 2024-25 [2]
KCC	DFS + NABARD	7.72 crore operative a/cs; ₹10.20 lakh crore outstanding (31 Mar 2025) [2]
MISS	DFS	7% subsidised rate + 3% PRI; ₹1.77 lakh crore subsidy FY15-FY26 [2]
SMAM (mechanisation)	DA&FW	25,689 Custom Hiring Centres (2014-15 to 2025-26) [2]
e-NAM	SFAC under DA&FW	1.79 crore farmers, 2.72 lakh traders, 4,698 FPOs, 1,522 mandis in 23 States + 4 UTs (31 Dec 2025) [2]

Economic — PMFBY de-risks 6.2 crore ha, stabilising rural consumption; KCC's ₹10.2 lakh crore stock pivots farmers away from informal moneylenders [2]. SMAM CHCs cut per-ha cost-of-cultivation, key to smallholder viability.
Social/Equity — Custom Hiring Centres democratise machinery for <2 ha holders (86% of farmers); DBT under PM-KISAN bypasses intermediaries, reaches tenant-excluded landowners [1].
Environmental — Soil Health Cards push balanced NPK + micro-nutrient use, lowering urea over-application; PMKSY "Per Drop More Crop" promotes micro-irrigation, water-use efficiency [3].
Administrative/Federal — Agriculture is State List (Entry 14); Centre relies on CSS architecture (60:40 / 90:10 NE) — implementation bottlenecks remain at State agri-dept level.
Scientific/Tech — e-NAM uses unified licence, single window; SHC uses GPS-grid soil sampling; SMAM now includes drones (Namo Drone Didi convergence) [3].

29 Jan 2026 — Economic Survey 2025-26 tabled; agri-input chapter highlighted [1].
30 Oct 2025 — 558 new CHCs added in FY26 under SMAM [2].
31 Dec 2025 — e-NAM crossed 1,522 mandis integration [2].
31 Mar 2025 — KCC outstanding hits ₹10.20 lakh crore [2].
Mid-Nov 2025 — Soil Health Card issuance crosses 25.55 crore cumulative [3].

Gross Irrigated Area / Gross Cropped Area: 41.7% (2001-02) → 55.8% (2022-23) [1].
Seed Villages under SMSP: 6.85 lakh; seeds produced: 1,649.26 lakh quintals [1].
PM-KISAN total disbursal: ₹4.09 lakh crore in 21 instalments to 11+ crore farmers [1].
PMFBY launched Kharif 2016; 2024-25 coverage 4.19 crore farmers / 6.2 crore ha [2].
e-NAM launch date: 14 April 2016; mandis as of Dec 2025: 1,522 in 23 States + 4 UTs [2].
KCC operative accounts: 7.72 crore; outstanding: ₹10.20 lakh crore (Mar 2025) [2].
MISS — interest at 7% subsidised + 3% prompt repayment incentive (effective 4%) [2].
SMAM CHCs: 25,689 cumulative (2014-15 to 2025-26) [2].
Soil Health Cards: 25.55 crore issued; sampling grid 2.5 ha (irrigated) / 10 ha (rain-fed) [3].
PMKSY components: AIBP + Har Khet Ko Pani + Per Drop More Crop + Watershed Development.
Agriculture is State List, Entry 14, Seventh Schedule.
SFAC is the implementing agency for e-NAM (not APMC, not NABARD).

GS-III: "Major crops, cropping patterns... irrigation systems... e-technology in aid of farmers; issues related to direct & indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; PDS — objectives, functioning, limitations".
Probable stems: 1. "Productivity in Indian agriculture is a function of in-situ inputs and post-harvest market linkages. Evaluate in light of the Economic Survey 2025-26." (15M) 2. "Discuss how PMFBY and the Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS) together mitigate farm distress." (10M) 3. "Examine whether e-NAM has structurally altered agricultural marketing in India." (15M)

MSP & CACP — pricing leg of "market support".
Doubling Farmers' Income (Ashok Dalwai Committee) — frames the five-lever logic.
Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) — post-harvest leg.
FPO scheme (10,000 FPOs) — aggregation backbone for e-NAM.
Namo Drone Didi — converges with SMAM mechanisation push.
PM Matsya Sampada / Rashtriya Gokul Mission — allied-sector parallels.
PDS & Buffer Stocking (FCI) — demand-side of market support.
WTO AoA & Peace Clause — external constraint on subsidies/MSP.

e-NAM ≠ NAM; implementing agency is SFAC, not NABARD or APMC.
PMFBY is administered by DA&FW (Ministry of Agriculture), NOT Ministry of Finance / IRDAI.
PM-KISAN is ₹6,000/yr in 3 instalments to landholding farmers — landless tenants are excluded (frequent trap).
Soil Health Card launched 2015 under NMSA, not under PMKSY.
KCC interest effective rate is 4% (7% − 3% PRI), not 7% — examiners flip this.
Agriculture is in the State List, not Concurrent — Centre acts via CSS, not direct legislation.