PM Narendra Modi addresses webinar on effective implementation of Budget for agriculture & farmers

PM Narendra Modi addressed a webinar on effective implementation of Budget provisions related agriculture and farmer’s welfare. Experts from agriculture, dairy, fisheries sector, stakeholders from public, private and cooperative sector and representatives from banks funding the rural economy attended it. Union Minister for Agriculture was also present in the e-seminar.

PM Narendra Modi talked about the vision of the government with small farmers in the center. He said that empowerment of these small farmers will aid in eliminating many agriculture related problems. He underscored some of the provisions for Agriculture in this Union Budget such as increasing the Agriculture Credit target to Rs 16,50,000 crores with priority to Animal husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries sector, increasing Rural Infrastructure Fund to Rs 40,000 crores, doubling the allocation for micro irrigation, broadening the scope of Operation Green Scheme to 22 perishable products and connecting 1000 additional mandis with e-NAM.

He emphasized India gravely needs Post-Harvest Revolution or Food Processing Revolution and Value Addition in the 21st century, amidst ever-increasing agricultural production.

PM Narendra Modi firmly stressed on developing processing in every agriculture related sector like foodgrains, vegetables, fruits, fisheries etc. He stated that it is crucial that farmers should have the storage facilities near their villages. He asked for the improvement of the system of taking the produce from the fields to processing units and underscored that hand holding of these units be done by the Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs).

He added- “We have to diversify our country’s agriculture sector into the global market for processed food. We must increase the number of Agro-Industries Clusters near the village so that the people of the village can get jobs related to farming in the village itself.”
He said Organic Clusters and Export clusters will also play a crucial role in this.

PM lamented that despite being one of the world’s major fish producers and exporters, India’s presence in processed fish in the international market is very limited. He called for a change in this scenario.

He spoke about Operation Greens, under which the 50% subsidy is being given for the transportation of all fruits and vegetables.

He asserted that the AatmaNirbhar Bharat campaign emphasizes on creating clusters for fruits and vegetables processing in the districts across the nation. He outlined the need for using modern technology to assist the small farmers with economical and effective choices for hourly rental of tractors, straw machines or other farm machinery. He highlighted the need for extending the facility of Soil Health Card in the nation and increasing awareness among the farmers about their soil’s health.

PM underscored the need for more private sector contribution towards R & D in the agriculture sector. He said that we should give such options to farmers in which they are not restricted to grow only wheat and rice. He told about the need to tap the market for Seaweed and Beeswax. He outlined that contract farming has been there in India in some form or the other for a very long time. He emphasized the need to ensure that contract farming doesn’t remain just a business concept but we should also fulfill our responsibility towards the land.

PM Modi gave a call to make concerted attempts in the farming of the nation, to find an absolute technological solution from irrigation to sowing, till harvesting and earning. He stated that we should promote startups associated with the agriculture sector and connect the youth. He affirmed that the Kisan Credit Card has been extended little by little to farmers, cattle ranchers and fishermen and over 1.80 crore farmers have been given Kisan Credit Cards in the last 12 months. The provision of credit has also been more than doubled than 6-7 years ago. He told that arrangements with 10,00 FPOs being built in the nation is boosting the co-operatives.