Minister of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare
Cabinet-level public office in the Government of India
The minister of agriculture and farmers' welfare (Hindi : कृषि एवं किसान कल्याण मंत्री ) is the head of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare and a key member of the union council of ministers of the Government of India . The portfolio is usually held by a minister with cabinet rank who is a senior member of the council of ministers and is often assisted by one or two junior ministers or the ministers of state for agriculture and farmers' welfare and previously by a further junior minister of the deputy minister of agriculture.
The current minister of agriculture and farmers' welfare is Shivraj Singh Chouhan who is holding the charge of the ministry since 10 June 2024 and is assisted by two ministers of state - Ram Nath Thakur and Bhagirath Choudhary since 10 June 2024.
History
The ministry was established on 15 August 1947 as the "Ministry of Food and Agriculture". Rajendra Prasad , who later became the President of India served as the inaugural minister of the ministry and served until his resignation on 14 January 1948. The ministry was renamed as the "Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Community Development and Cooperation" on 24 January 1966 under prime minister Indira Gandhi and further renamed in 1971 as the "Ministry of Agriculture".
In 1974, the Ministry of Irrigation was merged with the Ministry of Agriculture and renamed as the "Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation". In 1980, the Department of Irrigation was separated and the "Ministry of Agriculture" was reformed. On 27 August 2015, the ministry was renamed as the "Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare".[ 1] In 2021, prime minister Narendra Modi announced that the Ministry of Co-operation has been carved out of from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfar.[ 2]
Trivia
Titles
1947–1966 : Minister of Food and Agriculture
1966–1971 : Minister of Food, Agriculture, Community Development and Cooperation
1971–1974 : Minister of Agriculture
1974–1980 : Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation
1980–2015 : Minister of Agriculture
2015–present : Minister of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare
Cabinet ministers
No.
Portrait
Minister(Birth-Death) Constituency
Term of office
Political party
Ministry
Prime Minister
From
To
Period
Minister of Food and Agriculture
1
Rajendra Prasad (1884–1963) MP for Bihar (Constituency Assembly)
15 August 1947
14 January 1948
152 days
Indian National Congress
Nehru I
Jawaharlal Nehru
2
Jairamdas Daulatram (1891–1979) MP for East Punjab (Constituent Assembly)
19 January 1948
13 May 1950
2 years, 114 days
3
Kanaiyalal Maneklal Munshi (1887–1971) MP for Bombay (Constituent Assembly)
13 May 1950
13 May 1952
2 years, 0 days
4
Rafi Ahmed Kidwai (1894–1954) MP for Bahraich District (East)
13 May 1952
24 October 1954(died in office)
2 years, 164 days
Nehru II
5
Panjabrao Deshmukh (1898–1965) MP for Amravati (Minister without cabinet rank)
29 October 1954
25 November 1954
27 days
6
Ajit Prasad Jain (1902–1977) MP for Saharanpur
25 November 1954
17 April 1957
1 year, 272 days
17 April 1957
24 August 1959
Nehru III
7
S. K. Patil (1898–1981) MP for Mumbai South
24 August 1959
10 April 1962
4 years, 8 days
10 April 1962
1 September 1963
Nehru IV
8
Swaran Singh (1907–1994) MP for Jullundur
1 September 1963
27 May 1964
282 days
27 May 1964
9 June 1964
Nanda I
Gulzarilal Nanda
9
Chidambaram Subramaniam (1910–2000) MP for Palani
9 June 1964
11 January 1966
1 year, 216 days
Shastri
Lal Bahadur Shastri
11 January 1966
24 January 1966
Nanda II
Gulzarilal Nanda
Minister of Food, Agriculture, Community Development and Cooperation
(9)
Chidambaram Subramaniam (1910–2000) MP for Palani
24 January 1966
13 March 1967
1 year, 48 days
Indian National Congress
Indira I
Indira Gandhi
10
Jagjivan Ram (1908–1986) MP for Sasaram
13 March 1967
27 June 1970
3 years, 106 days
Indira II
11
Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed (1905–1977) MP for Barpeta
27 June 1970
18 March 1971
309 days
18 March 1971
2 May 1971
Indian National Congress (R)
Indira III
Minister of Agriculture
(11)
Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed (1905–1977) MP for Barpeta
2 May 1971
3 July 1974
3 years, 62 days
Indian National Congress (R)
Indira III
Indira Gandhi
(9)
Chidambaram Subramaniam (1910–2000) MP for Palani
3 July 1974
10 October 1974
99 days
Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation
(10)
Jagjivan Ram (1908–1986) MP for Sasaram
10 October 1974
2 February 1977
2 years, 115 days
Indian National Congress (R)
Indira III
Indira Gandhi
–
Indira Gandhi (1917–1984) MP for Rae Bareli (Prime Minister)
3 February 1977
24 March 1977
49 days
–
Morarji Desai (1896–1995) MP for Surat (Prime Minister)
24 March 1977
28 March 1977
4 days
Janata Party
Desai
Morarji Desai
12
Parkash Singh Badal (1927–2023) MP for Faridkot
28 March 1977
17 June 1977
81 days
Shiromani Akali Dal
13
Surjit Singh Barnala (1925–2017) MP for Sangrur
18 June 1977
28 July 1979
2 years, 40 days
14
Brahm Prakash (1918–1993) MP for Outer Delhi
28 July 1979
14 January 1980
170 days
Indian National Congress (Urs)
Charan
Charan Singh
Minister of Agriculture
15
Rao Birender Singh (1921–2000) MP for Mahendragarh
14 January 1980
31 October 1984
4 years, 352 days
Indian National Congress (I)
Indira IV
Indira Gandhi
4 November 1984
31 December 1984
Rajiv I
Rajiv Gandhi
16
Buta Singh (1934–2021) MP for Jalore
31 December 1984
12 May 1986
1 year, 132 days
Rajiv II
17
Gurdial Singh Dhillon (1915–1992) MP for Firozpur
12 May 1986
14 February 1988
1 year, 278 days
18
Bhajan Lal (1930–2011) Rajya Sabha MP for Haryana
14 February 1988
2 December 1989
1 year, 291 days
19
Chaudhary Devi Lal (1915–2001) MP for Sikar (Deputy Prime Minister)
2 December 1989
1 August 1990
242 days
Janata Dal
Vishwanath
Vishwanath Pratap Singh
–
Vishwanath Pratap Singh (1931–2008) MP for Fatehpur (Prime Minister)
1 August 1990
10 November 1990
101 days
(19)
Chaudhary Devi Lal (1915–2001) MP for Sikar (Deputy Prime Minister)
21 November 1990
21 June 1991
212 days
Samajwadi Janata Party (Rashtriya)
Chandra Shekhar
Chandra Shekhar
20
Balram Jakhar (1923–2016) MP for Sikar
21 June 1991
17 January 1996
4 years, 210 days
Indian National Congress (I)
Rao
P. V. Narasimha Rao
–
P. V. Narasimha Rao (1921–2004) MP for Nandyal (Prime Minister)
17 January 1996
7 February 1996
21 days
21
Jagannath Mishra (1937–2019) Rajya Sabha MP for Bihar
7 February 1996
16 May 1996
99 days
22
Suraj Bhan (1928–2006) MP for Ambala
16 May 1996
1 June 1996
16 days
Bharatiya Janata Party
Vajpayee I
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
–
H. D. Deve Gowda (born 1933)Unelected (Prime Minister)
1 June 1996
29 June 1996
28 days
Janata Dal
Deve Gowda
H. D. Deve Gowda
23
Chaturanan Mishra (1925–2011) MP for Madhubani
29 June 1996
21 April 1997
1 year, 263 days
Communist Party of India
21 April 1997
19 March 1998
Gujral
Inder Kumar Gujral
–
Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1924–2018) MP for Lucknow (Prime Minister)
19 March 1998
13 October 1999
5 years, 66 days
Bharatiya Janata Party
Vajpayee II
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
13 October 1999
22 November 1999
Vajpayee III
24
Nitish Kumar (born 1951) MP for Barh
22 November 1999
3 March 2000
102 days
Samata Party
–
Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1924–2018) MP for Lucknow (Prime Minister)
3 March 2000
6 March 2000
3 days
Bharatiya Janata Party
25
Sundar Lal Patwa (1924–2016) MP for Narmadapuram
6 March 2000
27 May 2000
82 days
(24)
Nitish Kumar (born 1951) MP for Barh
27 May 2000
22 July 2001
1 year, 56 days
Samata Party
26
Ajit Singh (1939–2021) MP for Baghpat
22 July 2001
24 May 2003
1 year, 306 days
Rashtriya Lok Dal
27
Rajnath Singh (born 1951) Rajya Sabha MP for Uttar Pradesh
24 May 2003
22 May 2004
364 days
Bharatiya Janata Party
28
Sharad Pawar (born 1940) MP for Baramati , until 2009 MP for Madha , 2009–2014 Rajya Sabha MP for Maharashtra , from 2014
23 May 2004
22 May 2009
10 years, 3 days
Nationalist Congress Party
Manmohan I
Manmohan Singh
23 May 2009[ 3]
26 May 2014
Manmohan II
29
Radha Mohan Singh (born 1949) MP for Purvi Champaran
27 May 2014[ 4]
27 August 2015
1 year, 92 days
Bharatiya Janata Party
Modi I
Narendra Modi
Minister of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare
(29)
Radha Mohan Singh (born 1949) MP for Purvi Champaran
27 August 2015
30 May 2019
3 years, 276 days
Bharatiya Janata Party
Modi I
Narendra Modi
30
Narendra Singh Tomar (born 1957) MP for Morena
31 May 2019[ 5]
7 December 2023
4 years, 190 days
Modi II
31
Arjun Munda (born 1968) MP for Khunti
7 December 2023
9 June 2024
185 days
32
Shivraj Singh Chouhan (born 1959) MP for Vidisha
10 June 2024
Incumbent
208 days
Modi III
Ministers of state
No.
Portrait
Minister(Birth-Death) Constituency
Term of office
Political party
Ministry
Prime Minister
From
To
Period
Minister of State for Food and Agriculture
1
Panjabrao Deshmukh (1898–1965) MP for Amravati Minister of Cooperation from 25 April 1957
17 April 1957
10 April 1962
4 years, 358 days
Indian National Congress
Nehru III
Jawaharlal Nehru
2
Ram Subhag Singh (1917–1980) MP for Bikramganj
8 May 1962
27 May 1964
2 years, 19 days
Indian National Congress
Nehru IV
3
Alungal Mathai Thomas (1912–1981) MP for Ernakulam
21 November 1963
27 May 1964
10 years, 188 days
(2)
Ram Subhag Singh (1917–1980) MP for Bikramganj
27 May 1964
9 June 1964
13 days
Nanda I
Gulzarilal Nanda
(3)
Alungal Mathai Thomas (1912–1981) MP for Ernakulam
17 days
9 June 1964
13 June 1964
Shastri
Lal Bahadur Shastri
Minister of State for Food, Agriculture, Community Development and Cooperation
4
Panampilly Govinda Menon (1906–1970) MP for Mukundapuram
24 January 1966
13 March 1967
1 year, 48 days
Indian National Congress
Indira I
Indira Gandhi
5
Annasaheb Shinde (1922–1993) MP for Kopargaon
13 March 1967
18 March 1971
4 years, 5 days
Indira II
6
M. S. Gurupadaswamy (1924–2011) Rajya Sabha MP for Uttar Pradesh
5 June 1967
17 October 1969
2 years, 134 days
(5)
Annasaheb Shinde (1922–1993) MP for Kopargaon
18 March 1971
2 May 1971
45 days
Indira III
Minister of State for Agriculture
7
Sher Singh Kadyan (1917–2009) MP for Rohtak
2 May 1971
12 January 1974
2 years, 255 days
Indian National Congress (R)
Indira III
Indira Gandhi
(5)
Annasaheb Shinde (1922–1993) MP for Kopargaon
2 May 1971
10 October 1974
3 years, 161 days
8
Buddha Priya Maurya (1926–2004) MP for Hapur
11 January 1974
10 October 1974
272 days
Minister of State for Agriculture and Irrigation
(5)
Annasaheb Shinde (1922–1993) MP for Kopargaon
10 October 1974
24 March 1977
2 years, 165 days
Indian National Congress (R)
Indira III
Indira Gandhi
9
Shah Nawaz Khan (1914–1993) MP for Meerut
10 October 1974
24 March 1977
2 years, 165 days
10
Bhanu Pratap Singh (born 1935) Rajya Sabha MP for Uttar Pradesh
14 August 1977
15 July 1979
1 year, 335 days
Janata Party
Desai
Morarji Desai
11
Nathuram Mirdha (1921–1996) MP for Nagaur
4 August 1979
25 October 1979
82 days
Janata Party (Secular)
Charan
Charan Singh
12
M. V. Krishnappa (1918–1980) MP for Chikballapur
4 August 1979
14 January 1980
163 days
Minister of State for Agriculture
13
R. V. Swaminathan MP for Sivaganga
14 January 1980
29 January 1983
3 years, 15 days
Indian National Congress (I)
Indira IV
Indira Gandhi
14
Baleshwar Ram (1928–2015) MP for Rosera (Rural Development)
16 January 1982
29 January 1983
1 year, 13 days
15
Arif Mohammad Khan (born 1951) MP for Bahraich
29 January 1983
7 February 1984
1 year, 9 days
16
Yogendra Makwana (born 1933) Rajya Sabha MP for Gujarat
29 January 1983
31 October 1984
1 year, 276 days
4 November 1984
31 December 1984
57 days
Rajiv I
Rajiv Gandhi
17
Chandulal Chandrakar (1920–1995) MP for Durg
1 January 1985
27 January 1986
1 year, 26 days
Rajiv II
18
K. Natwar Singh (born 1929) MP for Bharatpur (Fertilizers)
25 September 1985
22 October 1986
1 year, 27 days
(16)
Yogendra Makwana (born 1933) Rajya Sabha MP for Gujarat (Agriculture and Cooperation)
25 September 1985
14 February 1988
2 years, 142 days
19
Ramanand Yadav (born 1927) Rajya Sabha MP for Bihar (Rural Development)
12 May 1986
14 February 1988
1 year, 278 days
20
R. Prabhu (born 1947) MP for Nilgiris
22 October 1986
2 December 1989
3 years, 41 days
21
Hari Krishna Shastri (1988–1989) MP for Fatehpur (Agriculture Research and Education)
14 February 1988
2 December 1989
1 year, 291 days
22
Shyamlal Yadav (1927–2005) MP for Varanasi (Agriculture and Cooperation)
14 February 1988
2 December 1989
1 year, 291 days
23
Janardhana Poojary (born 1937) MP for Mangalore (Rural Development)
14 February 1988
2 December 1989
1 year, 291 days
24
Nitish Kumar (born 1951) MP for Barh (Agriculture and Cooperation)
23 April 1990
10 November 1990
201 days
Janata Dal
Vishwanath
Vishwanath Pratap Singh
25
Upendra Nath Verma MP for Chatra (Rural Development)
23 April 1990
10 November 1990
201 days
26
Jayantilal Shah (born 1928) MP for Banaskantha (Agriculture and Cooperation)
21 November 1990
25 April 1991
155 days
Samajwadi Janata Party (Rashtriya)
Chandra Shekhar
Chandra Shekhar
27
Ram Bahadur Singh (1934–2006) MP for Maharajganj (Rural Development)
21 November 1990
21 June 1991
212 days
28
Mullappally Ramachandran (born 1944) MP for Kannur
21 June 1991
17 January 1993
1 year, 210 days
Indian National Congress (I)
Rao
P. V. Narasimha Rao
29
Kahnu Charan Lenka (born 1939) Rajya Sabha MP for Odisha
21 June 1991
18 January 1993
1 year, 211 days
30
Arvind Netam (born 1942) MP for Kanker
18 January 1993
20 February 1996
3 years, 33 days
31
S. Krishna Kumar (born 1993) MP for Kollam
19 February 1993
13 May 1995
2 years, 83 days
32
Risaldar-major (Honorary Captain) Mohd. Ayub Khan VrC (1932–2016) MP for Jhunjhunu
15 September 1995
16 May 1996
244 days
33
Ummareddy Venkateswarlu (born 1935) MP for Bapatla
1 June 1996
29 June 1996
28 days
Telugu Desam Party
Deve Gowda
H. D. Deve Gowda
34
Samudrala Venugopal Chary (born 1959) MP for Adilabad
9 June 1997
19 March 1998
283 days
Telugu Desam Party
Gujral
Inder Kumar Gujral
35
Sompal Shastri (born 1942) MP for Baghpat
19 March 1998
13 October 1999
1 year, 208 days
Bharatiya Janata Party
Vajpayee II
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
36
Hukmdev Narayan Yadav (born 1939) MP for Madhubani
13 October 1999
27 May 2000
227 days
Vajpayee III
37
Syed Shahnawaz Hussain (born 1968) MP for Kishanganj (Food Processing Industries)
13 October 1999
27 May 2000
227 days
38
S. B. P. B. K. Satyanarayana Rao (1921–2011) MP for Rajahmundry
13 October 1999
29 September 2000
352 days
40
Thounaojam Chaoba Singh (born 1937) MP for Inner Manipur (Food Processing Industries)
27 May 2000
1 September 2001
1 year, 97 days
41
Debendra Pradhan (born 1941) MP for Deogarh
27 May 2000
29 January 2003
2 years, 247 days
42
Shripad Naik (born 1952) MP for Panaji
30 September 2000
2 November 2001
1 year, 33 days
(36)
Hukmdev Narayan Yadav (born 1939) MP for Madhubani
2 November 2001
22 May 2004
2 years, 202 days
43
Kantilal Bhuria (born 1950) MP for Ratlam
23 May 2004
22 May 2009
4 years, 364 days
Indian National Congress
Manmohan I
Manmohan Singh
44
Akhilesh Prasad Singh (born 1962) MP for Motihari
23 May 2004
22 May 2009
4 years, 364 days
Rashtriya Janata Dal
45
Mohammed Taslimuddin (1943–2017) MP for Kishanganj
25 May 2004
22 May 2009
4 years, 362 days
46
K. V. Thomas (born 1946) MP for Ernakulam
29 May 2009
19 January 2011
2 years, 51 days
Indian National Congress
Manmohan II
47
Harish Rawat (born 1948) MP for Haridwar
19 January 2011
28 October 2012
1 year, 283 days
48
Arun Subhashchandra Yadav (born 1974) MP for Khandwa
19 January 2011
12 July 2011
174 days
49
Charan Das Mahant (born 1954) MP for Korba
12 July 2011[ 6]
26 May 2014
2 years, 318 days
50
Tariq Anwar (born 1951) Rajya Sabha MP for Maharashtra
28 October 2012[ 7]
26 May 2014
1 year, 210 days
Nationalist Congress Party
51
Sanjeev Balyan (born 1972) MP for Muzaffarnagar
27 May 2014
27 August 2015
1 year, 92 days
Bharatiya Janata Party
Modi I
Narendra Modi
52
Mohan Kundariya (born 1951) MP for Rajkot
9 November 2014
27 August 2015
291 days
Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare
(51)
Sanjeev Balyan (born 1972) MP for Muzaffarnagar
27 August 2015
3 September 2017[ 8]
2 years, 7 days
Bharatiya Janata Party
Modi I
Narendra Modi
(52)
Mohan Kundariya (born 1951) MP for Rajkot
27 August 2015
5 July 2016
313 days
53
S. S. Ahluwalia (born 1951) MP for Darjeeling
5 July 2016[ 9]
3 September 2017
1 year, 60 days
54
Sudarshan Bhagat (born 1969) MP for Lohardaga
5 July 2016[ 10]
3 September 2017
1 year, 60 days
55
Parshottam Rupala (born 1954) Rajya Sabha MP for Gujarat
5 July 2016
30 May 2019
2 years, 329 days
56
Krishna Raj (born 1967) MP for Shahjahanpur
3 September 2017[ 11]
30 May 2019
1 year, 269 days
57
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (born 1967) MP for Jodhpur
3 September 2017[ 11]
30 May 2019
1 year, 269 days
(56)
Parshottam Rupala (born 1954) Rajya Sabha MP for Gujarat
31 May 2019
7 July 2021
2 years, 37 days
Modi II
58
Kailash Choudhary (born 1973) MP for Barmer
31 May 2019[ 12]
9 June 2024
5 years, 9 days
59
Shobha Karandlaje (born 1966) MP for Udupi Chikmagalur
7 July 2021[ 13]
9 June 2024
2 years, 338 days
60
Bhagirath Choudhary (born 1954) MP for Ajmer
10 June 2024
Incumbent
208 days
Modi III
61
Ram Nath Thakur (born 1950) Rajya Sabha MP for Bihar
Janata Dal (United)
Deputy ministers
No.
Portrait
Minister(Birth-Death) Constituency
Term of office
Political party
Ministry
Prime Minister
From
To
Period
Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture
1
Mosalikanti Thirumala Rao (1901–1970) MP for Madras (Interim)
21 August 1950
13 May 1952
1 year, 266 days
Indian National Congress
Nehru I
Jawaharlal Nehru
2
M. V. Krishnappa (1918–1980) MP for Kolar (until 1957) MP for Tumkur (from 1957)
12 August 1952
17 April 1957
4 years, 256 days
Indian National Congress
Nehru II
17 April 1957
25 April 1957
Nehru III
3
Alungal Mathai Thomas (1912–1981) MP for Ernakulam
25 April 1957
10 April 1962
6 years, 210 days
16 April 1962
21 November 1963
Nehru IV
4
Shah Nawaz Khan (1914–1993) MP for Meerut
15 June 1964
11 January 1966
1 year, 210 days
Indian National Congress
Shastri
Lal Bahadur Shastri
5
Dajisaheb Chavan (1916–1973) MP for Karad
15 June 1964
11 January 1966
1 year, 210 days
(4)
Shah Nawaz Khan (1914–1993) MP for Meerut
11 January 1966
24 January 1966
13 days
Nanda II
Gulzarilal Nanda
(5)
Dajisaheb Chavan (1916–1973) MP for Karad
11 January 1966
24 January 1966
13 days
Deputy Minister of Food, Agriculture, Community Development and Cooperation
6
Annasaheb Shinde (1922–1993) MP for Kopargaon
24 January 1966
13 March 1967
1 year, 48 days
Indian National Congress
Indira I
Indira Gandhi
7
Shyam Dhar Mishra (1919–2001) MP for Mirzapur
14 February 1966
13 March 1967
1 year, 27 days
8
Annasaheb Shinde (1922–1993) MP for Kopargaon
13 March 1967
18 March 1971
4 years, 5 days
Indira II
9
Daying Ering (1929–1970) MP for NEFA
18 March 1967
21 June 1970(died in office)
3 years, 95 days
10
Jagannath Pahadia (1932–1991) MP for Bayana
26 June 1970
18 March 1971
270 days
Indian National Congress (R)
11
S. C. Jamir (born 1931) MP for Nagaland
27 June 1970
18 March 1971
264 days
Deputy Minister of Agriculture
(10)
Jagannath Pahadia (1932–1991) MP for Bayana
2 May 1971
22 July 1972
1 year, 81 days
Indian National Congress (R)
Indira III
Indira Gandhi
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation
12
Kedar Nath Singh MP for Sultanpur
10 October 1974
24 March 1977
2 years, 165 days
Indian National Congress (R)
Indira III
Indira Gandhi
13
Prabhudas Patel (1914–?) MP for Dabhoi
23 October 1974
14 March 1977
2 years, 142 days
Deputy Minister of Agriculture
14
Kamla Kumari (born 1937) MP for Palamu
19 October 1980
29 January 1983
2 years, 102 days
Indian National Congress
Indira IV
Indira Gandhi
15
Mohammed Usman Arif (1923–1995) Rajya Sabha MP for Rajasthan
15 January 1982
6 September 1982
234 days
Position not in use since 6 September 1982
References
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