The country needs one more agrarian revolution, the demand for time to increase private sector participation: PM

- Kisan Rail has become a powerful medium of cold storage network in the country today

New delhi date. Monday, March 1, 2021

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday addressed a webinar on the implementation of the budget in the agriculture sector. In his address, he said India needs a post-harvest revolution or food processing revolution in the 21st century amidst ever-growing agricultural products. At the same time, he expressed the feeling that it would have been better for the country if this work had been done 2-3 decades ago.

Rural farmers get storage facilities

"Today we need to pay special attention to the processing of food grains, fruits, vegetables, fish, etc. in every sector of agriculture," he said. This requires farmers to have modern storage facilities near their village. Arrangements for access to the processing unit from the farm must be improved.

The agri-industry cluster facility has to be enhanced

"We must expand the country's agricultural sector into a global market for processed food," he said. We have to increase the number of agro-industry clusters near the village so that the people of the village can get employment related to agriculture in the village itself.

Subsidy by Kisan Rail

The Prime Minister said, "We have launched schemes and PLI schemes worth Rs 11,000 crore to help the agri-industry. Apart from that, we have promoted seafood and other ready-to-eat seafood and other food items. We are providing 50 per cent subsidy. Kisan Rail has become a powerful medium of the country's cold storage network today. "

Soil health card to millions of farmers

In his budget address, the Prime Minister said that another important aspect associated with agriculture is soil testing. In recent years, the central government has issued soil health cards to millions of farmers. Now we have to extend the testing facility of soil health card to every village.

Emphasis on increasing private participation in the agricultural sector

The Prime Minister said that most of the contribution to research and development in the field of agriculture comes from the public sector. Now is the time to increase private sector participation. Now we have to give the farmers an option so that they are not limited to growing wheat and rice.

The popularity of coarse grains increased after corona

The Prime Minister said that a large area of ​​India is very useful for coarse grains. Coarse grains were already in high demand in the world and have since become known as the Immunity Booster. Encouraging farmers towards this is also a big responsibility of the food industry. Apart from that we have been doing contract farming for a long time but it should be our endeavor not only to become a business and we should also fulfill our responsibility towards that land.

The basic needs of the farmer

"Seeds, markets, loans and fertilizers are the basic needs of any farmer who needs them in a timely manner," he said. In recent years, the prevalence of Kisan credit cards has increased from the smallest farmers, pastoralists to fishermen.