Addressing a gathering after the flag off, Sitharaman highlighted the government’s commitment to strengthening rural economies through infrastructure and training support

Following the inauguration, the Union Finance Minister also visited the historic Virupaksha Temple in Hampi, where she offered prayers

The scheme aims to boost agricultural productivity, encourage crop diversification, and improve livelihoods in 100 low-performing agricultural districts

The union minister also noted that 43 lakh farmers in Karnataka benefit from the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, which provides Rs 6,000 per year in three instalments of Rs 2,000 each through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT)

She emphasised the importance of value addition in agriculture to boost farmer incomes and local employment