Budget has
provided Security coverage to agriculture sector as well as farmers: Shri Singh
Budgetary
provision of Rs. 45,250 crore for the year 2016-17 has now been increased by
15.31% to Rs. 51,026 crore for the year 2017-18
Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare,
Shri Radha Mohan Singh said that this time it has become very clear again that
the Central Government is working for the villages, the poor and farmers. Shri Singh
further added that agriculture growth rate has increased from 2% to 4.1% and it
shows that the government is working seriously for the betterment of the
farmers and farming. The commitment of the Government to double the income of
the farmer in 5 years has been under scored in this budget. Shri Singh said
this in an informal talk with journalist in the Ministry. On this occasion, Union
Agriculture Minister informed the journalist in detail the provision made for
Agriculture sector in the budget.
Shri Singh said that this budget manifests
government’s commitment to double the farmers income in a span of 5 years.
Apart from this, provisions have been made to continue erstwhile schemes. Goals
of White and Blue Revolution have been reiterated in this budget. Ambitious
schemes have been chalked out to promote the agriculture sector in this budget.
For instance, a sum of Rs. 9000 crores have been provided for Pradhan Mantri
Fasal Bima Yojana resulting in the enhancement of crop security coverage to the
farmers.
Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Minister said that
this budget has provided security coverage to agriculture sector as well as
farmers. The government has made up its mind to dig one million ponds. This is
a praise worthy step. By providing irrigation and fisheries facilities through
these ponds, the farmers will be helped to double their incomes. In the
previous year, 5 lakh ponds have been built. Besides, this budget aims to
provide 100 employment days to the farmers through MNREGA which is also a praise
worthy step. To promote “per drop more crop”, those areas will also be
provided water for irrigation which were earlier deprived of this facility
through long term irrigation fund.
Shri Singh informed that budgetary provision of Rs.
45,250 crore for the year 2016-17 was made for Ministry of Agriculture &
Farmers Welfare which has now been increased by 15.31% to Rs. 51,026 crore for
the year 2017-18. The Minister highlighted the following provisions of the
Budget:
·
While
accelerating the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, 40%
agricultural area will be brought under the scheme this year. It was 30% in the
previous year. Similarly, it will be increased to 50% for the year 2018-19.
During the previous year, there was a budget provision of Rs. 5.5 thousand
crores which will be increased to Rs. 9000 crore during this year.
Simultaneously, an additional sum of Rs. 7.7 thousand crores has also been
provided during this year for the dues of previous year.
·
Soil
Health Card – for all 648 KVKs, a provision has been made to establish mini
soil testing labs. 1000 labs will be activated through local entrepreneurs.
Loan related subsidy will be provided for this purpose by the government.
·
e-NAM
– at present, 250 mandis are linked with e-NAM platform which will be increased
to 585 mandis. For this purpose, each mandi will be provided assistance upto
Rs. 75 lakhs for their basic Infrastructures (sanity grading and packaging). In
addition to this, it has also been suggested to denotify from APMC Act (Mandi
Act) those commodities which are quickly perishable.
·
Dairy
is a prominent part of agriculture economy. During year 2016-17, there was a
budgetary provision of Rs. 1136 crore for White Revolution which has been
increased by 43.8% in the form of Rs. 1634 crore for year 2017-18. Along with
this, dairy processing and infrastructural fund will be set up with a sum of
Rs. 8000 cr for the modernization of old milk processing units under Operation
Flood. This will be completed within a period of 3 years. Initially it will be
started with a sum of Rs. 2000 crores.
·
Blue
Revolution is one of the priorities of the government. Keeping this in view,
the budget provision of Rs. 247 crore for year 2016-17 has been increased by
62.35% amounting to Rs. 401 crore. The MNREGA was given an assurance to make 5
lakh ponds during last year to cope with the problem of drought prevailing in
rural areas. During present year, 5 lakh new ponds will also be built up.
·
A
sum of Rs. 5189 crore for Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojna has been
increased to Rs.7377 crore. Besides a long term irrigation fund has been set up
with a sum of Rs. 20,000 crore for irrigation scheme in previous Financial Year
concerned with NABARD. During this year, it will be doubled in the form of Rs.
40,000 crore.
·
A
dedicated micro Irrigation fund with a sum of Rs. 5000 crores will be set up
for the achievement of the goal of “per drop – more crop”.
·
Other
features in the Budget : The total loan amount of Rs. 9 lakh crore for previous
year has been enhanced as Rs. 10 lakh crore this year. In this respect,
dedicated efforts will be made for low irrigated areas, eastern states and
Jammu & Kashmir. In addition to this, as per the announcement made earlier
by the Hon’ble Prime Minister, the waiver will also be provided on loan
interest for 60 days.
·
Efforts
will be taken to computerize 63,000 PACS being operated by NABARD in the area
of cooperatives. This work will be completed within 3 years with an assistance
of Rs. 1900 crores.
·
Model
contact farming law will be formulated to make improvements in the policies
relates to agriculture.
SS
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