New Delhi, Jan 18 (PTI) In a first, about 1,500 farmers and their spouses have been invited as special guests for this year's Republic Day parade in the national capital.

"This is for the first time, farmers have been invited as special guests for the Republic Day parade. About 1,500 farmers and their spouses have been selected from across the country, a senior agriculture ministry official told PTI.

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Farmer representatives of Farmers Producers Organisations (FPOs), beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) and micro irrigation schemes have been invited, the official added.

Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda will host lunch for the farmers after the parade.

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Around 500 farmers were invited as special guests during last year's Independence Day.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)