New Delhi: On Monday, the Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved several significant initiatives, including a National Mission for Natural Farming, the PAN 2.0 Project, and the “One Nation, One Subscription” scheme for students. These decisions aim to benefit farmers, students, and businesses across the nation.
National Mission for Natural Farming
The government has launched a National Mission for Natural Farming with a budget of ₹2,481 crore, targeting one crore farmers across India. During a media briefing, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted the mission’s objective to create a sustainable farming ecosystem.
Vaishnaw stated, “Improving soil quality and ensuring chemical-free food production are essential for public health. This mission is a pioneering step in that direction.” Following successful experiments between 2019-20 and 2022-23, the initiative will now be implemented on a mission mode. Presently, about 10 lakh hectares of land in the country are under natural farming practices.
One Nation, One Subscription
The government has introduced the One Nation, One Subscription scheme to benefit students, teachers, and researchers. Under this initiative, access to resources from 30 leading international journal publishers will be provided. The scheme aims to make international research papers and publications accessible across higher education institutions, supported by central and state governments and research and development institutions.
PAN 2.0 Project
The Cabinet also approved the PAN 2.0 Project, allocating ₹1,435 crore to transform the Permanent Account Number (PAN) into a universal business identifier for all digital systems used by government agencies.
The project focuses on technology-driven improvements to taxpayer registration services, ensuring better accessibility, faster service delivery, and data consistency. Key benefits include a unified source of data, eco-friendly processes, cost optimization, and enhanced security infrastructure.
These initiatives mark a forward-looking approach by the Modi government to support sustainable agriculture, improve education access, and advance digital governance.