Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Mr. Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced plans to invest US$ 2.15 billion (Rs. 18,000 crore) in developing 100 export clusters for agriculture and US$ 810.7 million (Rs. 6,800 crore) to enhance self-sufficiency in pulse production. Acknowledging challenges within the sector, he expressed his willingness to address these issues through discussions with farmers and their associations, stating, “There are problems in agriculture, but solutions are also there. We will speak to farmers and farmers’ associations.” He emphasized resolving issues through dialogue and urged political parties not to view farmers merely as a vote bank.
He outlined a vision for building a climate-resilient agriculture system, including developing 50,000 climate-friendly villages and 1,500 new seed varieties. The government is also planning to provide farmers with a digital identity. He admitted that the government only buys crops at minimum support price (MSP) when necessary, reflecting its selective approach to MSP procurement. Additionally, He highlighted the government’s focus on a ‘One Health’ approach, integrating human, animal, plant, and environmental health. On the storage and warehousing front, US$ 166,905.10 (Rs. 1.40 crore) is being invested in modern post-harvest infrastructure, with plans to integrate 1,500 more mandis into the electronic National Agriculture Market (e-NaM) program. The ministry aims to revive 2,500 traditional seed varieties across 200 districts within 2 years and to develop model pulses and oilseeds villages, covering 12 million hectares under micro-irrigation over the next 5 years.
Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.
