Government Raises Agriculture Budget To Rs 1, 23,000 Crore From Rs 21,000 Crore

The government announced in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday that the agriculture budget has been boosted to Rs 1,23,000 crore, up from roughly Rs 21,000 crore previously. 

Minister of States for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Kailash Chaudhary responded to a question during Question Hour by saying that the government is rewarding farmers under the crop diversification scheme, and that same incentives have also been granted in horticulture. The government has also increased the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for many crops, indicating that it is committed to increasing farmers' income. 

In response to a query about crop loss in Andhra Pradesh, he also stated that the government compensates farmers for crops lost due to natural disasters through the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). 

Chaudhary also stated that, in the past, the state government would send a memorandum to the Centre for central support, but today the Centre dispatches an expert team to the affected areas shortly after natural disasters strike and distributes assistance to the state for farmers. 

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar responded to DMK Member T.R. Baalu's query about granting a central share to Tamil Nadu in the SDRF by saying that the Centre releases cash to the SDRF twice a year. The Union Home Ministry contributes 75% of the funds, while the state contributes 25%. He further stated that if the SDRF fund appears to be insufficient, the Centre will provide extra funds. Tomar further stated that the Centre will release Tamil Nadu's outstanding debts as soon as possible. 

The Minister of State for Agriculture also informed the House that the government has launched a crop diversification initiative that encourages farmers to produce crops that require less capital investment. Farmers are instructed to produce various crops and are also offered incentives, he said, citing the fact that one kilogramme of paddy crops requires 3,000 to 5,000 litres of water. 

In response to another question, the Minister stated that farmers who have been cultivating paddy or wheat for many years may be hesitant to switch to other crops due to fear of loss due to a variety of factors. In the event of loss, farmers may be compensated through crop insurance, SDRF, and other schemes.