The upcoming interim budget, set to be presented on February 1, may bring good news for female farmers who own land in India.

Reports from Reuters suggest that the Indian government is considering a significant boost in the yearly payment given to female farmers nationwide. This move appears to be aimed at connecting with women voters ahead of the upcoming general election.

If implemented, the plan could mean doubling the annual payment to land-owning female farmers to 12,000 rupees. This proposal builds upon an existing program called the "Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi," which was introduced by Prime Minister Modi before the 2019 national election.

Currently, both male and female farmers receive an annual transfer of 6,000 rupees under this scheme. Government data indicates that, by November last year, over 2.81 trillion rupees had been distributed to more than 110 million farmers in 15 installments.

However, it's important to clarify that there has been no official confirmation from either the agriculture ministry or the finance ministry regarding this proposal.

India has a significant farming community, with more than 260 million individuals involved. Considering their families, they form a substantial voting group in the country's population of 1.4 billion. Despite women constituting 60% of all farmers, government data shows that less than 13% of them own the land they cultivate.

Increasing financial support for women farmers is not expected to strain government finances significantly. The sum involved is relatively small, considering the projected $550 billion budget.

As Prime Minister Modi seeks a third term in the elections scheduled for May, the potential increase in the annual payment to land-owning female farmers could be a strategic move to address the concerns of this crucial section of society and gain support in the politically significant agricultural sector.