Atmanirbhar Bharat: 11 Measures For Agriculture Sector; Rs 1 Lakh Crore For Farm Infrastructure

New Delhi: Lauding Indian farmers for successfully fighting the COVID-19 epidemic and already completing Rabi sowing, finance minister Nirmala Sitharam on Friday said that the third tranche of the measures will be focussing on agriculture and allied services, which include dairy, fisheries and husbandry. Announcing 11 measures for the agriculture sectors, the minister said that during the ongoing lockdown period too, the Centre took several measures to mitigate the hardship of the farmers. Also Read – What is Essential Commodities Act? What Are The Amendments? Breaking Down Nirmala Sitharaman’s Speech

Here are the announcements Also Read – Makhana, Turmeric Latte, Saffron: What Nirmala Sitharaman’s Package Has to do With These

1. Rs 1 lakh crore for strengthening infrastructure — cold storage, supply chain, startups wanting to procure directly from the farmers etc. Also Read – COVID-19 in Pakistan: Imran Khan Government to Resume Domestic Flights From Tomorrow

2. Rs 10,000 crore for micro food enterprises. This is in tune with PM Modi’s ‘vocal for local’, says FM. Two lakh enterprises will be benefitted. This will be cluster-based.

3. Rs 20,000 crore for marine activities, fisheries.

4. Over Rs 13,000 crore for 100 per cent vaccination of all cattle to treat foot and mouth disease.

5. Rs 15,000 crore for dairy infrastructure

6. Rs 4,000 crore for promotion of herbal plants

7. Rs 500 crore for bee-keeping initiatives

Governance and Administrative Reforms

1. Essential Commodities act needs to be amended. Stock limit will be imposed only in emergency. No stock limit for processors, value chain participants.

2. A central law so that farmers will have a choice to sell the products at fair price. No inter-state barrier. E-trading to be allowed.

3. Farmers don’t have a standard mechanism to find a predictable price even at the times of the sowing. In order to bring in certainty before sowing every season, a legal framework to be enforced.