On Monday, February 24, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, from Bhagalpur in election-bound Bihar, transferred ₹22,000 crore into the bank accounts of 9.8 crore farmers nationwide as part of the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) program. Over 75 lakh farmers from the State, where an assembly poll is scheduled later this year, are among the beneficiaries.
While distributing the 19th installment of the PM-KISAN plan, which provides farmers with an annual income assistance of ₹6,000 in three tranches, Mr. Modi deposited ₹2,000 into each farmer’s account. The event took place on the Airport Ground and was attended by Bihar’s Deputy Chief Ministers, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and other Union Ministers.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Modi shared his dream that at least one product from an Indian farmer should be in every kitchen worldwide. He noted that India’s agricultural exports have grown dramatically in recent years as a result of government efforts, allowing farmers to obtain higher prices for their produce.
According to Mr. Modi, a number of agricultural items were being exported for the first time, and now Bihar’s Makhana (fox nuts) was the next in line. “Makhana is a superfood that now needs to be introduced to the world’s markets. Therefore, in this year’s Budget, the announcement was made to establish a Makhana Board for farmers. Out of the 365 days, I eat Makhana for at least 300 days.”
He also took the opportunity to criticize the previous administration, which was headed by Congress and Lalu Prasad of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). Mr. Modi remarked, “Those who can eat the fodder of animals can never change the situation of farmers, but the NDA government has changed it,” referring to Mr. Prasad’s prior conviction in the fodder fraud cases.
“The NDA government is working together to preserve India’s glorious heritage and build a magnificent future, but these “jungle raj” people hate our heritage faith and belief,” Mr. Modi added, scolding Mr. Prasad for calling Maha Kumbh “useless.”
He further said, “A grand festival of unity, the Maha Kumbh, is taking place in Prayagraj. This is the greatest celebration of India’s faith, India’s unity, and harmony. People more than Europe’s population have taken holy dip in Maha Kumbh, but the Jungle raj people of the RJD and the Congress are abusing Maha Kumbh. People who are irritated by the Ram Temple are not missing any opportunity to curse the Maha Kumbh as well. I know that Bihar will never forgive those who abuse the Maha Kumbh.”
The leader of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) attacked Mr. Modi for his trip to Bihar earlier in the day in a post on the social media site X. “The prime minister is in Bihar to spread false information and make unfulfilled claims. Since it’s election year, Mr. Prasad wrote in the post, “In order to deceive people, the foundation stones and inaugurations of various Central schemes will now be done symbolically from Bihar, but Bihar will not receive anything, nor will the people of Bihar give him anything.”
Tejashwi Yadav, his son and a former Deputy Chief Minister, too made fun of Mr. Modi by claiming that the Prime Minister was in the State with the Assembly election in mind. He asked Mr. Modi 15 questions on Bihar prior to the visit, including farmer income, the literacy rate, poverty, unemployment, special packages, and closed sugar mills. However, Mr. Kumar reaffirmed that before 2005, individuals were scared to leave their houses after dark. The Chief Minister asserted that he put a halt to the frequent altercations between Muslims and Hindus.
