Charanjit Channi tables key Agriculture report in Parliament, panel pushes AI monitoring and higher farm budget
Babushahi Bureau
New Delhi, March 18, 2026: Member of Parliament Charanjit Singh Channi presented multiple reports (27th to 32nd) of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Food Processing in the Lok Sabha, outlining a comprehensive reform roadmap for India’s farm sector.
The Committee’s report on the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare called for a significant increase in budgetary allocation, citing challenges such as climate change, fragmented landholdings, and supply chain disruptions that continue to impact farmers’ income and sustainability.
A key recommendation includes the deployment of AI-enabled real-time dashboards and quarterly monitoring systems to ensure timely utilisation of funds and resolution of projects pending for over six months.
The panel also stressed the need to maintain a growth rate of over 15% in capital formation in agriculture through sustained investments in rural infrastructure, skill development, and institutional strengthening to boost productivity and food security.
Importantly, the Committee proposed expanding the department’s mandate to include farm labourers, recommending social security schemes such as pensions, accident insurance (including schemes like PMSBY), and maternity benefits for this vulnerable workforce.
On sustainable agriculture, the panel recommended financial incentives ranging from ₹12,000 to ₹15,000 per farmer for three years under natural and organic farming as ecosystem support. It also suggested promoting native seed varieties and proposed setting up dedicated boards for crops such as jackfruit, tamarind, and jamun.
The report further called for strengthening the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) by expanding coverage to include post-harvest losses for up to four weeks, as well as integrating technologies like drones and mobile applications for faster crop damage assessment.
In addition, the Committee emphasised:
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Establishing one Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) per district and ensuring annual farmer training
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Strengthening e-NAM with unified trading licences, digital quality certification, and escrow-based payments
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Reducing the delivery time of Soil Health Cards to less than a week using advanced technologies like satellite imaging and Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS)
The recommendations collectively signal a shift towards a technology-driven, inclusive, and sustainable agricultural ecosystem, aimed at improving farmer incomes and long-term resilience in the sector.