List of Recent Major Government Initiatives in the Agricultural Sector

Agriculture sector witnessed many ups and downs in the year 2020. Farmers had to face many problems due to Covid-19 pandemic. To help farmers, Centre had initiated many schemes hence in this article we will be talking about some of the major as well as recent Government Initiatives in the Agriculture or farm sector.

• In October 2020, the government announced that it is putting up a common data infrastructure for farmers in the country. PMFBY (Pradhan Mantri FasalBima Yojana), PM-Kisan and the Soil Health Card will be integrated through a common database, along with land record details.

• In September 2020, President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to three agriculture bills — The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020.

• In September 2020, the government launched the PM MatsyaSampada Yojana, e-Gopala App and several initiatives in fisheries production, dairy, animal husbandry and agriculture. Under this scheme, an investment of Rs. 20,000 crore (US$ 2.7 billion) will be made in the next 4-5 years in 21 states.

• In 2019-20, Rs. 202.5 crore (US$ 28.73 million) was allocated to the Rainfed Area Development, a sub-scheme under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY)

• In May 2020, the Government announced the launch of an animal husbandry infrastructure development fund of Rs. 15,000 crore (US$ 2.13 billion).

• In September 2019, Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi launched National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP), expected to eradicate foot and mouth disease (FMD) and brucellosis in livestock. In May 2020, Rs. 13,343 crore (US$ 1.89 billion) was allocated to the scheme.

• In May 2019, NABARD announced an investment of Rs. 700 crore (US$ 100 million) venture capital fund for equity investment in agriculture and rural-focused start-ups

• Under Union Budget 2019-20, Pradhan Mantri Samman Nidhi Yojana was introduced where a minimum fixed pension of Rs. 3000 (US$ 42.92) was to be provided to the eligible small and marginal farmers, subject to certain exclusion clauses, on attaining the age of 60 years.

• The Government of India came out with the Transport and Marketing Assistance (TMA) scheme to provide financial assistance for transport and marketing of agricultural products in order to boost agriculture exports.

• The Agriculture Export Policy, 2018 was approved by the Government of India in December 2018. The new policy aimed to increase India’s agricultural export to US$ 60 billion by 2022 and US$ 100 billion in the next few years with a stable trade policy regime.

• The Government of India is going to provide Rs. 2,000 crore (US$ 306.29 million) for computerization of Primary Agricultural Credit Society (PACS) to ensure cooperatives are benefitted through digital technology.

• The Government of India launched the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) with an investment of Rs. 50,000 crore (US$ 7.7 billion) aimed at the development of irrigation sources for providing a permanent solution from drought.

• Government plans to triple the capacity of food processing sector in India from the current 10% of agriculture produce and has also committed Rs. 6,000 crore (US$ 936.38 billion) as investments for mega food parks in the country, as a part of the Scheme for Agro-Marine Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters (SAMPADA).

• The Government of India has allowed 100% FDI in marketing of food products and in food product E-commerce under the automatic route.