AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE,2020- MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS

AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE,2020- MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS

1. Budget Allocation

• In the year 2020-21, the Budget allocation has been increased by more than 6 times to Rs. 1, 34,399.77 crore.

2. Record food-grains production

• The foodgrains production has increased from 251.54 million tonnes in 2015-16 to 296.65 million tonnes in 2019-20 which is the highest ever foodgrains production.
• As per third advanced estimates, horticulture production during 2019-20 is 319.57 MMT which is the highest ever for Indian horticulture.

3. MSP

• Government has increased the Minimum support price for all mandated Kharif, Rabi and other commercial crops with a return of at least 50 per cent over all India weighted average cost of production from the agricultural year 2018-19. 
• MSP for Paddy has increased to Rs. 1868 per quintal in 2020-21.
• MSP for Wheat increased to Rs. 1975 per quintal in 2020-21.

4. PM KISAN

• Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) was introduced by the central government in February 2019 under which Rs. 6,000 per year is transferred to the beneficiary farmer’s account per year in three installments.
• Since the inception of the Scheme, more than 1, 10,000 crore rupees have been released so far and 10.59 crore farmer families have been benefited.

5. Institutional credit for agriculture sector

• 13.73 lakh crore in 2019-20 with a target to reach Rs. 15 lakh Crore in 2020-21.
• Rs 2 lakh crore concessional credit boost to 2.5 crore farmers through Kisan Credit Cards is envisaged.
• A special drive has been undertaken since February 2020 to provide concessional credit to PM-KISAN beneficiaries through Kisan Credit Cards.

6. Soil Health Cards

• It was introduced in the year 2014-15 to optimize usage of nutrients.
• Soil health cards have been issued free of cost to 10.74 crore farmers in first cycle, i.e., 2015-16 to 2016-17 and 11.75 crore farmers in second cycle i.e. 2017-18 to 2018-19 under a nationwide programme.

7. Promotion of organic farming

• Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana was initiated in 2015-16 to promote organic farming in the country.
• 30,934 clusters benefitted. An area of 6.19 lakh ha has been covered and 15.47 lakh farmers have been benefitted.
• 5 lakh farmers are registered on to the dedicated web portal- www.Jaivikkheti.in to market their produce.
• Mission Organic Value Chain Development in North East Region (MOVCDNER) has been launched.

8. Agri Infrastructure Fund

• Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) was launched on 9th August 2020. The aim of the fund is to provide medium to long term debt financing for investment in viable projects for post-harvest management Infrastructure and community farming assets through interest subvention and financial support. The scheme shall be in effect for 10 years i.e. from FY 2020 to FY 2029.  As on date, 3,064 projects of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies worth a loan amount of Rs. 1,565 crores have been sanctioned by NABARD to 3,064 PACs under the scheme.

9. Promotion of FPOs

• Scheme for Formation and Promotion of 10,000 FPOs with a total budgetary provision of Rs. 6,865 Crore has been launched on 29.02.2020. Under this Scheme, formation of 10,000 FPOs across the country is targeted in five years period till 2023-24.
• An amount of Rs. 40.16 crore has already been released in 2020-21 towards formation of FPOs.

10. National Bee and Honey Mission
    

• NBHM has been launched in 2020 as part of the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. Rs.500 crore for the period 2020-2021 to 2022-2023 has been allocated for the sector.
   

11. Micro Irrigation Fund
    

• A Micro Irrigation Fund of Rs 5,000 crore has been placed with NABARD. The objective of the fund is to facilitate the States in mobilising resources to increase the coverage under micro irrigation through special and innovation projects.

12. E-NAM extension

• In 18 states and 03 UTs, 1000 markets have been integrated with the E-NAM Platform.
• 68 crore farmers are registered on the platform as well as 1.52 lakh  traders
• Farmer Product Organizations (FPO) was integrated with E-NAM Platform and trade started through the Platform.

13. Introduction of Kisan Rail

• A farmer friendly mobile application ‘ Kisan Rath ‘ app to facilitate the farmers and traders in search of transportation vehicles for primary and secondary transportation for the movement of agricultural and horticultural products. 
• The country’s First Kisan Rail started between Deolali and Danapur station on 08.07.2020.

14. Creation of a Start-up Eco system

• 424 start-ups in the agriculture and allied sectors have been selected for funding for a sum of Rs. 45.38 crore in installments and Rs.19.70 crore has been released as a 1st instalment for funding these start-ups. These start-ups were trained for two months at various agribusiness incubation centres i.e. Knowledge Partners (KPs) & RKVY-RAFTAAR Agribusiness Incubators (R-ABIs).