NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be talking to farmers and their families in his next ‘Mann ki Baat’, which will air on 22 March.

Modi conveyed this through a tweet saying he would be talking to his farmer brothers and sisters through the programme on All India Radio (AIR).

In a subsequent tweet, he asked farmers and others to send in their views and questions, and wanted them to write letters to care of All India Radio's Delhi office.

Last month, he addressed students in schools, colleges and Service exams in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’.

Although the broadcast is on radio, as Modi feels it reaches more people than television, Doordarshan and other TV channels are expected to simulcast the audio with suitable videos or stills.

Interestingly, the broadcast comes a day before the soft launch expected on 23 March of Kisan TV, which will be formally launched on Baisakhi day on 14 April.

The channel, to be managed by Doordarshan, will be a 24-hour channel devoted to farmers and rural India.

The Kisan TV channel was to have been launched on Makar Sankranti Day, on 14 January, but Jaitley had now been assured that all arrangements would be completed by mid-April.

However, the budget for the I and B Ministry showed an allocation of Rs 90 crore for this in the year 2014-15 and the budget for 2015-16 shows an amount of Rs 45 crore.

DD sources told Radioandmusic.com that the Minister had been assured that all preparations would be completed by mid-April. It was also stated that 14 April is a very important day for farmers as it marks the start of the sowing season.