Lok Sabha ‘guillotines’ Demands for Grants worth ₹53 lakh crore

The Lok Sabha passed the Demands for Grants of various Ministries for 2026-27 on Wednesday (March 18, 2026). The House approved an expenditure of over ₹53 lakh crore by applying the guillotine, passing the Demands for Grants for various Ministries without a discussion in Parliament. The House had discussed Demands for Grants for two Ministries -- Agriculture and Railways.

Parliament Budget Session updates on March 18, 2026

Replying to the debate on agriculture, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the Narendra Modi government is committed to transform society, improving lives, and shaping the future of the nation. He said the Opposition presented half-truths in the name of farmers’ welfare but did nothing to address the issues of farmers when it was in power. He said during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, out of 140 major irrigation projects, 99 had remained stalled.

“The Modi government brought these projects under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana and placed them on priority, significantly accelerating their implementation. As a result, work is moving rapidly to ensure irrigation coverage for nearly 2.7 million hectares of additional agricultural land,” Mr. Chouhan added.

Maintaining that the new Pesticide and Seed Bills will soon be implemented, he said they were aimed at guaranteeing quality seeds, standard and reliable fertilizers, as well as safe and effective pesticides for farmers. He said Mr. Modi has been consistently maintaining that excessive use of chemical fertilizers was damaging soil health and may threaten agricultural productivity for future generations. He added that under the Natural Farming Mission, the government has decided to hold awareness outreach to one crore farmers, training for 18 lakh farmers and gradual expansion of natural farming across 75 lakh hectares of land.

Earlier, initiating the debate on Demands for Grants for the Agriculture Ministry, Congress MP Amrinder Singh Raja Warring said 750 farmers in Punjab died during the agitation against the now-repealed farm laws and sought compensation for their families. He said minimum support price (MSP) should be a legal right and urged the Centre to announce a ₹50,000-crore special package for “distressed” farmers of Punjab, whose crops as well as farmland were damaged in heavy rains and floods.

Mr. Warring also suggested a ₹5,000 incentive per farmer to curb stubble burning.

Samajwadi Party’s Naresh Chandra Uttam Patel opposed imports of soybean, dairy products and fodder, warning of harm to farmers, and sought an increase in Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana cover to ₹10 lakh.

Trinamool Congress’s Pratima Mondal criticised the government’s handling of farm distress and flagged lack of accountability in protest-related deaths.

BJP member Konda Vishweshwar Reddy called for higher MSP for pulses to benefit Telangana farmers, while crediting the government for low inflation and improved purchasing power.