In the last 18 months, the Narendra Modi government had devised very many number of welfare schemes exclusively for farm workers, said Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan here on Sunday.

Speaking at the inaugural function of crop insurance awareness programme for farmers at the Gandhigram Rural Institute organised by the Indian Council for Agricultural Research, he said that the schemes were expected to enhance the earnings of small and marginal farmers in the country that in the next five years it would go up phenomenally.

The Union government would not confine by just giving assistance, but provide infrastructure, which would improve the standards of living of farmers. Naming a few of the projects, Mr. Radhakrishnan said that by giving adequate support to farmers at the times of crises, they would come forward to carry on with agriculture. This was the first step to stop migration from villages. Many farmers were unaware of the features of the crop insurance. Through such camps, he hoped the ryots would be educated.

The “Prime Minister's Fasal Yojana” is being launched from this kharif season for which the Union government had entered into an agreement with the State governments.

The premium to be paid under the scheme was paltry that it would benefit a large number of policy holders. The financial burden of the States would also be shared by the Centre.

For the first time in the country, with the aid of mobile phones and satellite, the extent of crop damage had been gauged and compensation provided for the farmers.