Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat, announced the third set of measures to revive the economy, targeted at agriculture and allied sectors. Here are the highlights:
Agriculture
- About ₹18,700 crores were transferred under PM KISAN scheme in the past 2 months along with ₹6400 crores under the PM Fasal Bima Yojana
- A new scheme that provides interest subvention at 2% per annum to dairy cooperatives for the 2020-21, additional 2% per annum subvention will be given on prompt interest payments, set to unlock ₹5000 crore additional liquidity and benefit 2 crore farmers
- ₹1 lakh crore Agri Infrastructure Fund to be provided for funding agriculture infrastructure projects at farm gate and aggregation points like Farmer Producer Organization, Cooperatives, etc
- Government commits Rs 4000 crore to promote Herbal Cultivation, 10 lakh hectare to be covered under herbal cultivation in 2 years, corridor of medicinal plants to come up along banks of Ganga
- Operation Green to be extend from TOP (Tomato, Onion and Potato) to ALL fruits and vegetables, 50% subsidy on transportation from surplus to deficient markets, 50% subsidy on storage including cold storage, set to reduce wastage and better price realization for farmers
- Essential Commodities Act to be amended to enable better price realization for farmers – cereals, edible oils, oilseed, pulses, onions and potato to be deregulated
- A law to implement agriculture marketing reforms to provide marketing choices to farmers – adequate choices to farmer to sell produce at better prices, hassle free inter-state trade,
- A facilitative legal framework will be created to enable farmers for engaging with processors, aggregators, large retailers, exporters etc. in fair and transparent manner, to provide assurance to farmer on Agriculture Produce Price and Quality
Fisheries
- Operations of Marine Capture Fisheries and Aquaculture has been relaxed to cover inland fisheries
- Registration of 242 shrimp hatcheries and Nauplii hatcheries that expired on March 31, extended to 3 months
- Pradham Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana to be launched for integrated, sustainable, inclusive development of marine and inland fisheries and to plug critical gaps in fisheries value chain, set to benefit 55 lakh persons and double fisheries export to ₹ 1 lakh crore
- ₹11000 crore for activities in marine, inland fisheries and aquaculture
- ₹9000 crores for infrastructure – fishing harbour, cold chain and market
Food
- Micro Food Enterprises (MFEs) will be given opportunities for technical upgradation to attain FSSAI certificate, build brands, and market. A separate scheme to be launched to help MFEs achieve these goals. This will lead to improved health and safety standards and integration with retail market along with improved incomes.
Dairy
- National Animal Disease Control Programme launched for for 100% vaccination of cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat and pig population in India with an outlay of ₹13,343 crores, 53 crore animals will be vaccinated for Foot and Mouth Disease and brucellosis
- Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Fund worth ₹15000 crore to boost private investment in dairy processing, value addition and cattle feed infrastructure
Apiary
- Government commits 500 crores for beekeeping initiatives
- Scheme to be implemented for Integrated Beekeeping Development Centres, Collection, Marketing, Storage, Post Harvest and value addition facilities, will result in increase in income for 2 lakh beekeepers