The budget to change the destiny of rural background and farmers in the country

The budget to change the destiny of rural background and farmers in the country – Shri Radha Mohan Singh

Objective to make the farmers income as double

Tremendous increase in agriculture and irrigation budget

Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shri Radha Mohan Singh today while addressing a Press Conference here said that for the first there is a budget which is dedicated to villages, the poor and farmers. A new dimension has been initiated in agricultural sector for the progress and welfare of farmers. This time a tremendous enhancement has been made in the budget related to agriculture and irrigation. No one had witnessed such a change earlier. Therefore, this budget will change the scenario of the country’s villages, the poor and farmers and pave their way towards substantial development. Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi the budget meant for 2016-2017 submitted by Union Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley has proved that Modi Government is the Government for villages, the poor and farmers.

The Minister said that the country has witnessed the series of droughts in various parts of the country keeping these circumstances in mind it was the need of time to be focused on agriculture and villages and it is must for formidable rural economy of the country. This will result in the enhancement of employment opportunities on rural scenario but it will also make the farmers income as double. For the first time in the country Modi Government has taken a concrete step for strengthening the economic condition of the farmers in the country.

Shri Singh said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had addressing the Members Of Parliament in Central Hall of Parliament, said that his Government will be dedicated for villages, the poor and farmers and whatever Modi Government had uttered he proved that in practice in its second budget. So I on behalf of the farmers of the country salute to the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Union Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley. A record enhancement has been seen in budget allocation keeping in view villages, farmers and agricultural development.

Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister said that the budgetary provision for Agriculture And Farmers Welfare Ministry – 2016-2017 menifests that Modi Government is committed to villages, the poor and farmers. A sum of 35984 crore rupees has been allocated for Ministry Of Agriculture And Farmers Welfare. Government aim at to make the farmers income as double in the forthcoming five years. We also aim at to multiply yield per unit, a better return of the products related to farmers. We are also committed for livestock, dairy, fisheries, agriculture allocation, research and agricultural extension.

· Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana is to be implemented in mission mode. 28.5 lakh hectare area will be brought under irrigation for which a sum of rupees 5717 crore has been earmarked for the year 2016-2017. The Ministry Of Agriculture And Farmers Welfare has obtained 2340 crore rupees in place of 1550 crore rupees as compared to the year 2015-2016 and it is an enhancement of 51%. Besides this year through NABARD it has been decided to create a fund of rupees 20000 crore for irrigation and expeditious implementation will be encertained for 89 irrigation projects lying incomplete for a long period under Macro And Mild Irrigation Scheme (AIBP) it will facilitate to irrigate an area of 80.6 lakh hectare. For this purpose a sum of rupees 86500 crore will be required in the forthcoming five years. Out of them during the year 2016-2017 a sum of 12517 crore rupees will be incurred by Ministry Of Water Resources to operate 23 schemes. Alongwith under MANREGA in rainfed area 5 lakh farm ponds and wells also will be arranged.

· Krishi development scheme

(a) Soil Health Card and Soil Health Management the Government is focusing its attention on this scheme. Under this scheme a sum of 362 crore rupees has been allocated as compared to 142 crore rupees in the year 2015-2016 which is sole increasement of 155%. The Agriculture Ministry is committed to fulfill its objective for distributing Soil Health Card for all 14 crore farmers in the country by march, 2017. Alongwith 2000 model retail centres of fertilizers companies will be opened in the forthcoming three years. Also soil and seeds tests facilities will be provided. All 643 agriculture Agro Science Centres, Agriculture Universities and Institutes of ICAR in the country will be comprised of soil test facilities and mini labs inter alia it has been decided to impart 80% subsidy for setting up 2000 mini labs for packs and farmers clusters.

(b) Organic value chain for North Eastern States a sum of rupees 400 crore has been allocated in 2015-2016 for the forthcoming three years meant for the development of North Eastern States and organic value chains. This scheme has been initiated with the allocation of rupees 125 crore in 2015-2016 which will pave the way for the growth of Organic Agriculture Scheme. The remaining 275 crore rupees will meet the needs of the projects being conducted in the next year (2016-2017 and 2017-2018). Alongwith 10 lakh compost ditches will be prepared for organic manure under MANREGA.

(c) Conventional agriculture development scheme for development of organic farming is important and it is a comprehensive organic farming scheme with the total allocation of Rs. 297 cr from the Central Government and it has increased 19 % from the allocation of Rs. 250 cr for the year 2015-16.

(d) The Integrated Agriculture Marketing Scheme: Additional resources has been provided during the current budget for increasing the Rural storage. The allocation has been increased from Rs. 750 cr in 2015-16 to Rs. 788 cr in current year that is an increase of 5 %.

(e) National Agriculture and Technology Mission (NMET): The government is giving requisite importance for technology transfer by giving assistance in strengthening of Agriculture Extension Machinery of the State Governments for Agriculture extension mission budgetary allocation in 2015-16 is Rs. 598 cr. against the previous allocation of Rs. 635 cr, it is an increase of 6%. Apart from this, Rs. 40 cr has been allocated for strengthening of agriculture information system.

(f) National Food Security Mission: The government is committed to increasing the productivity of various crops and it may be seen from the budgetary allocation for food security of the country as against Rs. 1137 cr in 2015-16, Rs. 1700 cr has been allocated in the current year. It is an increase of 50 % and Rs. 500 cr. has been provided for pulses.

(g) National Sustainable Agriculture Mission (NMSA): The government is committed to encourage sustainable agriculture from the budgetary allocation. In the year 2015-16 an allocation of Rs. 730 cr was made, now it is Rs. 1062 cr. it is an increase of 45%.

Market Reforms through National Agriculture Market (NAM) – The government assumes that a few reform measures have been taken in comparison to other sectors like industry. So Government understand it very important considers the marketing very important in agriculture sector and the government is committed to the establishment of national agriculture market. Reforms have been made in APMC Act in 12 states and excluding Punjab. All the States have given concurrence. The government will launch the scheme on the 14^th April, 2016 and till September, 2016, 200 markets and till March, 2017 another 200 markets will be covered under this scheme and till March 2017 total 400 markets will be covered and it is targeted to cover 585 APMC in country till March 2018.
Credit flow has been increased to Rs. 9 lakh crore which was Rs. 8.5 lakh crore in the 2015-16.
In order to reduce burden of debt payment on farmers, Rs. 15000 crore has been provided in budget estimate in 2016-17 for interest assistance which was Rs. 13000 crore in 2015-16.
An allocation of Rs. 5500 crore has been made under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana which was Rs. 3185 crore in previous budget. There is an increase of about 73 % in this scheme.
National Agriculture Development Yojana – There was a provision of Rs. 3900 crore in 2015-16, this time Rs. 5400 crore has been provided in the budget of 2016-17, hence, it is an increase of 38%.
A provision of Rs. 75 crore as central share has been made in the budget for the first time for National Agriculture Forestry Program. It will give impetus to ‘med per ped’.
An amount of Rs. 1600 crore has been allocated for Animal Husbandry, Diary and Fisheries 2016-17 which was Rs. 1491 crore in 2015-16.
Four New Projects – Rs. 850 crore have been provided for Livestock viz. Sanjivani, Nakul Swasthan Patra, e-livestock haat and Rastriya Indiginous Breeds Genomic Centre.
A total financial resources of Rs. 5387.95 crore was provided to DARE/ ICAR in the year 2015-16 whereas in the year 2016-17 financial resources of Rs. 6309.89 crore has been made available with an increase of about 17 % compared to the last year which will give impetus to education, research and agricultural extension.
A competition of national level will be organized among 643 KVKs with a total award amount of Rs. 50 lakh for bringing reforms in the efficiency and performance of the KVKs.

OTHER SCHEMES FOR THE BENEFIT OF VILLAGE AND FARMERS

· Under Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana : the allocation has been increased to Rs. 19,000 crore which is almost double from the amount released last year. By 2019, remaining Rs. 65000 eligible villages will be linked with the road.

· Every block affected from drought and natural calamities will work at special block under Deen Dayal Antodaya Mission. In this scheme self help ground will be constituted by the government and they will be imparted training in various disciplines. Further, cluster privileges team will be constituted under MNREGA which will ensure water conservation and management of natural resources. These districts will be given priority under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana.

· Beginning of Shayam Prasad Mukherjee for development of infrastructure in villages under this 300 rural urban clusters will be developed in which agriculture processing, agriculture market, godowns and warehouses will be constructed. Apart from this, cleanness campaign, water supply, solid and liquid water management, cementing of streets and drains, street lights, strengthening of educational institutions and the development of inter-rural link from other villages road, LPG gas connection and mobile health unit will be made available to the villages.

· 100% rural electrification by 01^st May, 2018.

· A new scheme namely Rastriy Gram Swaraj Abhiyan with an allocation of Rs. 655 crore.

· Heath Insurance scheme for saving hospital expenses. This scheme will provide health insurance upto Rs. 1 lakh to every family under this an additional top-up packages of Rs. 30,000 will be provided to senior citizens.

· LPG gas connection for BPL families. A provision of Rs. 2000 crore has been made in the budget for this from this about 1 crore 50 lakh BPL families will get benefit in the year 2016-17.

· In statutory support will be provided for the base platform so as to facilitate the access to the benefits by eligible persons.

· A sum of rupees 38500 crore has been allotted for MANREGA 2016-2017.

· Union Cabinet has sanctioned a Stand Up India Scheme for encouraging entrepreneurship among scheduled caste/ schedule tribe and women. For this purpose a sum of rupees 500 crore has been provided.

· Under Prime Minister Skill Development Scheme it has been aimed at to get entrepreneurship at the threshold of the youth. We have made up our mind to establish 15000 multi dimensional skill training institutes across the country. For these Programmes a sum of 17000 crores rupees has been earmarked separately.

· During the year 2016-2017 a total expenditure on roads and railway related items will be amalgamated as Rs. 218000 crore.

· Under Public Medicine Scheme related to the Prime Minister 3000 stores will be opened to supply generic medicines during 2016-2017.

· A successful implementation of the scheme named as “Ustad Scheme” has been encertained for the welfare of minorities and skill development.

· There are the schemes to open 62 new Novadaya Schools keeping in the view of education centre.

· It has been proposed to open national scheduled caste/scheduled tribe centres in the Ministry Of Micro Small and The Medium Enterprises with association of industry unions on the eve of 125^th anniversary of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.

· It has been aimed at to provide a debt of rupees 1 lakh 80 thousand through Prime Minister Mudra Schemes for small artisans