Agriculture Budget 2020: Nirmala Sitharaman allocates ₹2.83 lakh crore

• The Modi government has allocated ₹2.83 lakh crore for agriculture, this includes ₹1.73 lakh crore for rural development and panchayati raj and the rest is for irrigation.
  
• She also emphasised that agricultural markets need to be opened and liberalised and the fisheries, animal husbandry and dairy needs to be provided for.
• Sitharaman in her budget speech also said the government will provide 20 lakh farmers standalone solar pumps in a bid to promote smart irrigation.
  

The Modi government has allocated ₹2.83 lakh crore for agriculture, this includes ₹1.73 lakh crore for rural development and panchayati raj and the rest is for irrigation.

"We have provided for 11 crore farmers through Prime Minister Kisan Beema Yojana. Provision of annual assistance to the farmer is made sure through PM Kisan Yojana," the Finance Minister said. She also emphasised that agricultural markets need to be opened and liberalised and the fisheries, animal husbandry and dairy needs to be provided for.

She presented 16 points focused on farming, agriculture and irrigation. "We will encourage states to take up model agricultural laws, comprehensive measures for 100 water stressed districts, Prime Minister Kusum scheme removes dependence on kerosene and encourages use of solar power, the government will also encourage balanced use of fertilisers. This is an important step because currently use of chemical fertilisers is incentivised."

Sitharaman in her budget speech also said the government will provide 20 lakh farmers standalone solar pumps in a bid to promote smart irrigation. Moreover, 15 lakh farmers will get solarise grid connected pump sets. For this, the government has expanded the Pradhan mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evem Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM scheme). PM Kusum was introduced in August 2019 and is committed to add a solar capacity of 25,750 MW by 2022. This comes Both the state and central government aims to double the farmer income by 2022.

She also added that the government will “set up solar power generation units and also sell surplus power to the solar grid” in the non-cropping season. This will help farmers to make a living out of barren lands.

Apart from this, FM also prosed a Kisan Rail in public-private partnership that will enable transport of perishable goods including fruits, vegetables, dairy products, fish etc. A similar proposal was announced by Mamta Banerjee in 2009-10, however it couldn't be implemented.

"To build a seamless national cold supply chain for perishables, the Indian Railways will set up Kisan Rail through PPP model so that perishable goods can be transported quickly," she said.

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