Agriculture in the Budget

AGRICULTURE

75. Farming as an activity contributes nearly 1/6th to our National GDP and
a major portion of our population is dependent on it for livelihood. It has risen to
the challenge of making India largely self-sufficient in providing food for a
growing population. To make farming competitive and profitable, there is an
urgent need to step up investment, both public and private, in agro-technology
development and creation and modernization of existing agri-business
infrastructure. Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa has been at the
forefront of research in this area. However, since independence only one such
centre has been established. Government will establish two more such institutions
of excellence on similar pattern in Assam and Jharkhand with an initial sum of
`100 crore in the current financial year. In addition, an amount of ` 100 crores is
being set aside for setting up an “Agri-Tech Infrastructure Fund”.

76. It is also proposed to establish Agriculture Universities in Andhra Pradesh
and Rajasthan and Horticulture Universities in Telangana and Haryana. An initial
sum of ` 200 crores has been allocated for this purpose.

77. Deteriorating soil health has been a cause of concern and leads to sub
optimal utilization of farming resources. Government will initiate a scheme to
provide to every farmer a soil health card in a Mission mode. I propose to set
aside a sum of ` 100 crore for this purpose and an additional ` 56 crores to set up
100 Mobile Soil Testing Laboratories across the country. There have also been
growing concerns about the imbalance in the utilization of different types of
fertilizers resulting in deterioration of the soil.

78. Climate change is a reality which all of us have to face together.
Agriculture as an activity is most prone to the vagaries of climate change. To16
meet this challenge, I propose to establish a “National Adaptation Fund” for
climate change. As an initial sum an amount of ` 100 crore will be transferred to
the Fund.

79. We are committed to sustaining a growth of 4% in Agriculture and for
this we will bring technology driven second green revolution with focus on higher
productivity and include “Protein revolution” as an area of major focus.
80. As a very large number of landless farmers are unable to provide land
title as guarantee, institutional finance is denied to them and they become
vulnerable to money lenders’ usurious lending. I propose to provide finance to 5
lakh joint farming groups of “Bhoomi Heen Kisan” through NABARD in the
current financial year.

81. Price volatility in the agriculture produce creates uncertainties and
hardship for the farmers. To mitigate this I am providing a sum of ` 500 crore for
establishing a Price Stabilization Fund.

82. The farmers and consumers’ interest will be further served by increasing
competition and integrating markets across the country. To accelerate setting up
of a National Market, the Central Government will work closely with the State
Governments to re-orient their respective APMC Acts., to provide for
establishment of private market yards/ private markets. The state governments
will also be encouraged to develop Farmers’ Markets in town areas to enable the
farmers to sell their produce directly.

83. I also propose to set aside a sum of ` 50 crores for the development of
indigenous cattle breeds and an equal amount for starting a blue revolution in
inland fisheries.