FNB News - Agri minister emphasises on enhancing agri production and productivity

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Agri minister emphasises on enhancing agri production and productivity

Friday, 02 January, 2015, 08 : 00 AM [IST]

Our Bureau, New Delhi

At a press conference at the National Academy of Agricultural Science, Pusa, New Delhi, agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh emphasised on the government’s priority, enhancing agriculture production and productivity. He added that the new government had a very clear perception about holistic and sustainable growth of agriculture.

He mentioned the various initiatives taken by and achievements of the government in the last seven months to formulate a farmer-oriented policy aimed at lessening the distance between lab and land and infuse a new confidence among farmers:

The government took the initiative to ensure integrated soil management. Between 2007-08 and April 2014, an amount of Rs 112 crore was released for soil testing laboratories, whereas Rs 86 crore were released after May 2014. The government sanctioned Rs 568.54 crore for the next three years to provide soil health cards to 14.5 crore farmers. Earlier, there was no separate scheme for soil health cards under the Mission mode;

It started the National e-Governance Scheme for the agriculture sector with an allocation of Rs 886 crore;
At the block level, the number of agriculture extension workers increased. Now, there are 26,000 workers (8,000 more than the previous 18,000);
Technical support to farmers in agriculture sector was a problem area. To tackle this problem, the government set up 913 farm machinery banks. Farmers would be able to take equipment on a hire basis from these banks;
In addition, it distributed 72,627 farm machines in the last six months. An amount of Rs 1,345 crore has been sanctioned to states for machinery banks and equipment/instruments. In 2013-14, the amount sanctioned for farm mechanisation was Rs 1,213 crore;
An allocation of 50 per cent under the National Food Security Mission (NFSM) had been made for the growth of pulses, so as to encourage cultivation of pulses. Also a decision was taken to start the cultivation of pulses in the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and the North-Eastern states (including Sikkim);
The government increased the subsidy amount to Rs 300 per hectare from Rs 100 per hectare to promote bio-fertilisers;
It established a special fund of Rs 500 crore as an important initiative. With the setting up of this price stabilisation fund, farmers would be able to get a fair price for their products. The government has called upon the state governments to amend the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Act, so that farmers can sell their fruit and vegetables direct to consumers. So far, twelve states have agreed to its suggestion. The states have been requested to set up Kisan Mandis. One of these is being established in Delhi. The country is being connected through e-marketing under the Agri Tech Infrastructure Fund;
The government gave its in-principle approval to a scheme of traditional agricultural development. The Prime Minister’s Krishi Sichai Yojana is under finalisation. It had a plan to make comprehensive amendments in the Cooperative Act and make available a 24-hour exclusive television channel for farmers. It also targeted to cover at least one out of three families under the Kisan Call Centre;
The government made several initiatives for the development of the animal husbandry, dairy and fisheries sectors under the National Gokul Mission. An allocation of Rs 500 crore was made to protect and promote breeds of desi cows. So far, projects worth Rs 378 crore have been sanctioned, and an amount of Rs 123 crore was released in the current financial year;
Under the National Dairy Plan (NDP) Phase-I (between June and November 2014), 87 state plan (SP) projects have been sanctioned as compared to 41 SP projects during the same period last year;
During June and November 2014, Rs 133.56 crore subsidy was released under the Dairy Entrepreneurship Development Scheme. The National Livestock Mission was made effective in the entire country;
The fisheries guidelines were simplified further. Fishing boats of 15m or longer can enter the exclusive economic zones to catch fish. In case of the death of fishermen, the insurance amount was increased from one lakh to two lakh rupees. The sanction for housing for 830 fishermen under the Fishermen Welfare Scheme hwas issued. The government would adopt the latest technologies to promote the Blue Revolution in the country;
Under Mission Blue Revolution and the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), the government plans to establish new breeding centres, cages, manufacturing of marine cages and cold water fishing with a provision of Rs 157 crore, and
It aims to increase milk production to 150 million tonnes by 2016-17, and also organised dairy market would be extended.

At the conference, Singh mentioned that there would be definite results of all these initiatives taken by the government in the times to come; there would be growth in the agricultural sector, and the welfare of farmers would be promoted. He hoped that agriculture’s contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) would touch newer heights with these initiatives.