Govt. Focusing on climate-induced Challenges in Agriculture Sector: Tomar

Narendra Singh Tomar, the Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister, said on Thursday that the government is keen to resolve many issues in the agriculture sector, including climate change. He stated that the 'Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi' has so far deposited Rs.1,57,000 crore in the bank accounts of over 11 crore farmers across the country.

"Due to severe climate imbalance, some regions are facing droughts while others are struggling to control floods. The government is serious about such adverse climatic conditions and our scientists are also working very diligently to develop innovative seed varieties which are compatible with such climatic conditions," he said while addressing as chief guest at Sustainability Summit 2021 of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), according to a Ministry release.

Tomar said, “During the Covid-19 crisis, despite the pandemic, Indian farmers with their hard work could achieve bumper production. India being an agricultural country, the contribution of the agriculture sector to the GDP has always been significant”.

The Prime Minister has introduced the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, which will benefit various businesses, including food processing, according to the Minister.

Infrastructure is being created around fields as part of the government's concrete initiatives to make agriculture profitable for small and medium farmers. According to the statement, an Agriculture Infrastructure Fund of Rs.1 lakh crore has been established, via which projects are sanctioned.

More than Rs.4,000 crore in projects have been granted, and work on forming 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) across the country has begun under the new programme, he said, adding that the scheme will offer farmers with a better market and increase their revenue.

He also stated that the country's inclusion in the top ten lists of agricultural produce exporters is a source of pride for the country.

Tomar highlighted the government's many reform initiatives, saying, "These reforms have created substantial investment opportunities and have tried to bridge the gaps."