Chennai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a webinar on effective implementation of Budget provisions regarding Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare through video conference.
In this webinar experts from Agriculture, Dairy, Fisheries sector, stakeholders from Public, Private and Cooperative sector and Representatives from Banks funding the rural economy participated. Union Minister for Agriculture was present in the webinar.
Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister outlined the vision of the government with small farmers in the center. He added empowerment of these small farmers will greatly help in ridding Indian agriculture from many problems. He highlighted some of the provisions for Agriculture in this Union Budget like 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, expanding the scope of Operation Green Scheme to 22 perishable products and linking 1000 more mandis with e-NAM.
He stressed India’s need for Post Harvest Revolution or Food Processing Revolution and Value Addition in the 21st century, amidst ever-increasing agricultural production. It would have been very good for the country if this work would have been done two-three decades ago, he commented.
He strongly emphasised on developing processing in every agriculture related sector such as foodgrains, vegetables, fruits, fisheries etc. He said, for this, it is critical that farmers should have the storage facilities near their villages. He called for the improvement of the system of taking the produce from the fields to processing units and emphasised that hand holding of these units be done by the Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs). He stressed on the need for expanding the options for the country’s farmers to sell their produce.