NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday marked his first trip to his parliamentary constituency Varanasi since being re-elected for a third term. He released the 17th instalment of the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana.
The 17th instalment of the PM-KISAN scheme aims to benefit over 9.26 crore farmers with a disbursement of more than Rs 20,000 crore.Certificates were handed out to over 30,000 self-help groups trained as Krishi Sakhis to serve as para extension workers.
The event, attended by Uttar Pradesh governor Anandiben Patel, chief minister Yogi Adityanath, Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and several state ministers, saw farmers receiving education on good agricultural practices, emerging technologies, climate-resilient agriculture, and how to verify their PM-KISAN beneficiary and payment status. They will also learn to use the Kisan-eMitra Chatbot.
In the recent Lok Sabha elections, PM Modi won a decisive victory in Varanasi, defeating Congress candidate Ajay Rai by a margin of 1,52,513 votes. PM Modi secured 6,12,970 votes, while Rai garnered 4,60,457 votes. Bahujan Samaj Party candidate Ather Jamal Lari came in third with 33,766 votes.
PM Modi is also scheduled to offer prayers at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple and participate in the Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat. He will stay overnight in Varanasi and leave for Bihar on Wednesday morning.