The government is also simultaneously verifying the data using remote sensing-based crop area estimation
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After covering 31.3 crore plots in 4.41 lakh villages during the last Rabi season under the Digital Crop Survey (DCS) to collect data on crops grown by farmers, the government plans to scale it up to 45 crore plots in 5.53 lakh villages in the ongoing Kharif season, as 10.15 crore Farmer IDs have been created across 20 States.There were near-real-time production estimates from the crop-grown area collected through DCS in Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra, official sources said, adding this helped to scale it up to more areas. “As several schemes are being tagged with Digital Farmer ID, very soon the government will also start personalised advisory on crop selection, as well as scientific farming,” a senior official said.Even as it scales up DCS, the government is also simultaneously verifying the data using remote sensing-based crop area estimation, sources said.87% target achievedAsked about the farmer ID progress, as some States have exceeded the target, the official said that the target approved under the Digital Agriculture Mission was 11.62 crore IDs by March 2027, and already 87 per cent has been achieved. But he added that the target was set as per the PM KISAN number, which means anyone who has received the benefit even once is included, whereas the actual number of farmers is more.The PM KISAN scheme, under which eligible farmers receive ₹6,000/year directly in their bank accounts in three equal instalments, has some exclusion criteria to reduce coverage.In Telangana, 49,69,569 farmer IDs have been created so far against the targeted 39,77,791, which is 25 per cent more than the target. Similarly, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka have achieved the creation of more number of farmer IDs than their respective target.Unfinished workIn West Bengal, the Union Agriculture Ministry has already signed an MoU, after which the creation of Farmer IDs work has started, whereas in Jharkhand it is yet to begin. In Jammu and Kashmir, Goa and Sikkim, land records are getting organised to begin the generation of the IDs. The official also said that some states have started preparation to formulate an SOP for inclusion of non-land-owning cultivators (tenants, sharecroppers, temple land, etc.).In Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and parts of Assam, a satellite-based alternative mechanism has been developed due to the absence of a formal land records system. “A pilot project is being conducted in one district of Meghalaya to develop an SOP for land parcel mapping and Farmer ID creation,” he said, adding that work has also begun in union territories where agricultural land area is very limited.Under the National Awards for e-Governance (NaeG), which are presented every year to recognise and promote excellence in the implementation of e-Governance initiatives, the Agri Stack project under the Ministry of Agriculture was one of 10 gold awardees.The senior official also said that data generated through farmer IDs is also being utilised in implementing an MSP-based procurement system. Chhattisgarh, which has authenticated data of 27 lakh farmers, has saved ₹5,000 crore in paddy purchase. He also said that DCS data of the last Rabi season was used in Uttar Pradesh during wheat procurement and in Odisha for paddy purchase.Published on July 20, 2026
