New Delhi, Oct 4 (Reporter) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release the 18th instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme from Washim, Maharashtra on Saturday benefiting over 9.4 crore farmers across the country receive direct financial benefits, amounting to more than Rs 20,000 crore through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). Besides galaxy of politicians, around 2.5 Crore farmers will join the event including those at 732 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), over 1 lakh Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies and 5 lakh Common Service Centres across the country through web cast, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare said in a release on Friday. Launched on 24th February 2019, the PM-KISAN scheme provides Rs 6,000 annually to landholding farmers in three equal instalments. The Prime Minister will release the 18th instalment of PM-KISAN on 5th October. With the 18th instalment release, the total disbursement under the scheme will exceed Rs 3.45 lakh crore, supporting more than 11 crore farmers nationwide and further reaffirming the government's commitment to rural development and agricultural prosperity. In Maharashtra, about Rs 32,000 crores have been transferred to around 1.20 crore farmers in 17 instalments of the scheme which is second highest among all the States in India. In the 18th instalment, around 91.51 lakh farmers will receive the benefits of over Rs 1,900 crore. Alongside the PM-KISAN instalment distribution, the Prime Minister will also release the additional benefit of around Rs 2,000 crore to the farmers of the Maharashtra under the 5th instalment of the Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana, to further support their efforts, the Ministry said. Further, as a significant step for boosting agricultural infrastructure, the event will witness the dedication of several projects completed under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) in the first 100 days of New Government. The Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), launched in 2020, is a medium to long-term debt financing facility aimed at enhancing post-harvest management infrastructure and community farming assets. The scheme provides one lakh crore rupees in loans to eligible borrowers with a 3% interest subvention and a credit guarantee facility. Over the last 100 days, more than 10,066 Agri-infrastructure projects have been sanctioned nationwide, involving a sanction of Rs 6,541 crore (including 101 projects for FPOs with a sanctioned amount of Rs 97.67 crore). Additionally, 7,516 projects with a total sanction of Rs 1,929 crore have been completed, including 35 FPO projects valued at Rs 13.82 crore will be dedicated. These projects are strengthening the agricultural infrastructure, improving storage, and processing and logistics facilities, and enabling FPOs to scale operations, significantly benefiting farmers and the agricultural sector on the whole, the release said...////...