Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Jan 09: The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare in its annual review report termed that pro farmer’s reforms are essential to uplift this sector and the Budget allocated in the year 2020-21 has been increased by more than six times to Rs 1,34,399.77 crore.
The Budget allocation for the Department of Agriculture in the year 2013-14 was only Rs 21933.50 crore and in the year 2020, highest ever food grains have been produced.
In the annual review report, as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) the Agriculture and Farmer welfare Ministry said that ” The food grains production has increased from 251.54 million tons in 2015-16 to 296.65 million tons in 2019-20 which is the highest ever food grains production.”
“Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) was introduced by the central government under which Rs 6,000 per year is transferred to the beneficiary farmer’s account per year in three instalments and since the inception of the scheme, more than Rs 1,10,000 crore have been released so far and 10.59 crore farmer families have been benefitted,” the report said.
“Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) has completed 4 years of its implementation covering over 23 crore farmer applications and benefitting over 7.2 crore applicants. During this period nearly Rs 7,450 crore were paid by farmers as their share of premium against which claims of over Rs 87,000 crore have been paid to them. This means that for every 100 rupees of premium paid by farmers, they have received Rs 532 as claims,” the report said.
“There has been an increase from Rs 7.3 lakh crore in 2013-14 to Rs 13.73 lakh crore in 2019-20 with a target to reach Rs 15 lakh crore in 2020-21 under Institutional credit for the agriculture sector,” the report said, adding that, Rs 2 lakh crore concessional credit boost to Rs 2.5 crore farmers through Kisan Credit Cards is envisaged and special drive has been undertaken since February 2020 to provide concessional credit to PM-KISAN beneficiaries through Kisan Credit Cards besides 14,646 KCC applications sanctioned and Rs. 1,57,815 crore loan sanctioned as part of the drive.
“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 and 3,064 projects of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies worth a loan amount of Rs 1,565 crore have been sanctioned by NABARD to 3,064 PACs under the scheme. PACs Projects worth Rs 3,500 crore have already been structured for financing under the scheme,” the report said.
“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. Projects worth Rs 100 crore is targeted for December 2020,” it said.
“Major changes were made in disaster relief standards such as the assistance amount of all categories were increased by one and a half times as earlier compensation was payable only on crop loss of more than 50 per cent, but now compensation is payable even if the loss is 33 per cent only and the amount received by the kin of the victims of natural disasters has been increased from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 4 lakh besides that assistance in all matters of admissibility has been increased from one hectare to two hectares,” the report reads—(KNO)
