Committed to enhancing farmers\' income, Rs 2.83 lakh cr outlay for agriculture: FM

Sitharaman also presented a 16-point plan to revive the farm and agriculture sector

Update: 2020-02-01 08:02 GMT
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Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday reiterated that the NDA government is committed to doubling farmers' income by 2022.

"Our government is committed to the goal of doubling farmers' income by 2022," she said during her budget speech.

The Finance Minister while stressing that the Budget 2020 is to boost the income of people and enhance their purchasing power, said: "Farm markets need to be liberalized, farming need to be made more competitive, handholding of farm-based activities need to be provided, sustainable cropping patterns and more tech needed."

She also said that the Centre will encourage state governments to implement following model laws - Model Agricultural Land Leasing Act of 2016, Model Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing Act of 2017 and Model Agricultural Produce and Livestock Contract Farming and Services Promotion and Facilitation Act of 2018.

She announced that Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM) will be expanded to provide 20 lakh farmers in setting up standalone solar pumps.
"To build a seamless national cold supply chain for perishables, Indian Railways will set up Kisan Rail through PPP model so that perishable goods can be transported quickly. Krishi Udaan will be launched by MoCA on international and national routes," she said.

The Finance Minister during her speech said: "For sector comprising agriculture, allied activities, irrigation and rural development, an allocation of Rs 2.83 lakh crores has been made for 2020-21."

Sitharaman on Saturday announced an outlay of Rs 2.83 lakh crore for agriculture and allied sector for the financial year 2020-21.
Presenting the Union Budget 2020-21 in the Lok Sabha, she said that Rs 2.83 lakh crore will be allocated for agriculture and allied sector, while Rs 1.23 lakh crore for rural development and Panchayati Raj
The Central government has also set to disburse Rs 15 lakh crore among farmers as credit during the year 2020-21.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the refinancing scheme of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) will be further expanded. "Agriculture credit target for the year 2020-21 has been set at Rs 15 lakh crore," she said.'

Finance Minister Sitharaman also presented a 16-point plan to revive the farm and agriculture sector.

These include encouraging states to take up model agricultural laws, comprehensive measures for 100 water-stressed districts, PM Kusum Scheme, which removes dependence on kerosene and encourages the use of solar power, balanced use of fertilisers, an important step because currently the use of chemical fertilisers is incentivised.

"NABARD will take up an exercise of mapping and geotagging agricultural warehouses, cold storage and other inventory storages," she said.

She also announced that the Krishi UDAAN scheme will be launched by the Aviation Ministry.

"Horticulture sector with its current produce exceeds the production of food grains. We will now take it to 'one product, one district."
She said that financing of negotiable warehousing receipts will be integrating other e-services.

"Our government aims to eliminate the foot and mouth disease in sheep and goat by 2025," she said.
The minister announced the doubling of milk production of 53.5 million metric tonnes of milk to 103 metric million tonnes by 2025.

"Our government will involve youths in the fishery sector. We hope the rural youth will work as Sagar Mitras and also form Fish Farmer Organisation," she said.
The Finance Minister also announced that financing on negotiable warehousing receipts will be integrated with e-National Agricultural Market.

She also said that the village storage scheme run by SHGs will provide holding capacity for farmers, and women in villages can regain their status as Dhanya Lakshmi.

"We will encourage balanced use of all fertilisers, a necessary step to change the incentive regime which encourages excessive use of chemical fertilisers," added the minister.

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