Shivraj Singh Chouhan launches upgraded single-window agri welfare portal for farmers

Farmers will be able to access information on government schemes, submit applications for benefits and find agricultural updates through an upgraded digital portal launched by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

The portal is intended to function as a single-window gateway for major government initiatives, including PM-KISAN, AgriStack and the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare said in a statement.

The ministry said the upgraded platform was launched on Monday (October 19, 2026).

Schemes, applications and agricultural information

The portal will provide information on government schemes and enable farmers to apply for benefits without using separate channels for each service.

It will also offer information on weather conditions, scientific farming practices, the availability of seeds and fertilisers, and prevailing market prices for agricultural produce.

The ministry said all services would be available in one place, reducing the need for farmers to navigate multiple platforms.

“Information on the ministry’s schemes, subsidies, rules and digital services will be available on a single portal, reducing the time and effort farmers spend navigating multiple platforms,” the ministry said.

The portal will include online eligibility checks and direct application facilities.

The transfer of financial assistance through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) will also be available through the platform, a feature the ministry said would make processes more transparent and reduce the role of intermediaries.

The ministry said the portal aims to give farmers across the country direct and easy access to government schemes, financial assistance and reliable agricultural information on their mobile phones.

According to the ministry’s statement, this is intended to eliminate procedural hurdles and the role of intermediaries.

Focus on simple access

Addressing the launch programme, Mr. Chouhan said the Prime Minister’s vision was to ensure that the government remained accessible to citizens and farmers at all times through their mobile phones.

He said technology could fulfil its true purpose only when it reached farms and rural communities.

“With the upgraded portal, farmers will no longer need to visit multiple government offices or navigate different websites to obtain information about schemes or submit applications,” Mr. Chouhan said.

The ministry said a special training campaign would be conducted through Krishi Vigyan Kendras to help farmers make effective use of the portal and other digital tools.

Mr. Chouhan also stressed that the language and processes on the platform must be simple enough for small and marginal farmers, including those with limited formal education, to understand and use with ease.

This emphasis places the portal’s usability alongside its digital services, with the ministry identifying accessibility for farmers as a key requirement.

Wider agricultural ecosystem

The portal will bring together Farmer Producer Organisations, Primary Agricultural Credit Societies, agricultural scientists, researchers and startups on a common digital platform for the wider agricultural ecosystem.

Mr. Chouhan emphasised the importance of reliable information and directed officials to ensure that the portal remained accurate and was regularly updated.

The platform is therefore designed to combine government services with information on farming practices, inputs, markets and weather conditions.

The ministry said this single-platform approach would reduce the time and effort farmers spend navigating multiple websites and services.

Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Secretary Atish Chandra, Additional Secretary Pramod Meherda, senior officials from the Digital Agriculture Division and other officials from the ministry and the National Informatics Centre were present at the launch.

Source: The Hindu