Page 8 - ABFI March 19 issue

Editorial...

s expected, in the wake of widespread rural distress, the interim budget of NDA
government – the last before the coming Lok Sabha elections -- has rolled out
Ameasures seeking to win back the support of the farming community, which
has increasingly demonstrated its disenchantment with the regime.
The biggest among the offers is the farm income support scheme, titled PM Kisan
Sampada Yojana (PM KISAN), which would directly transfer Rs 6000 per year to
farmers with land holdings of less than two hectares, to be paid in three instalments
of Rs 2000 each. The total outlay for 2018-19 is a massive Rs. 75,000 crore, of which
Rs. 20,000 crore would be spent in the current fiscal, the scheme being backdated to
December 2018. In all 12.56 crore farmers are expected to benefit from this scheme.
‘”This will pave the way for farmers to earn and live a life of respect and is towards
our goal of doubling farmers’ income,” said Finance Minister Piyush Goyal, presenting
the budget in Lok Sabha.
Many experts, among them eminent farm scientist Dr M S Swaminathan, has
Chief editor welcomed the income support as a “good step.’ The money would come in handy
S. Jafar Naqvi
for farmers for purchase of inputs needed for technological upgradation of farm
Consulting editor operations.
T.V. Satyanarayanan
The government has clarified that the income support scheme is in addition to the
Chief Co-ordinator support in the form of minimum support prices (MSP) already announced for various
M.B. Naqvi
crops.
editorial Co-ordinator The budget has also hiked the funding for allied agricultural activities like the
Syed M K animal husbandry and fisheries sector to provide supplementary income to the
layout & design farmers. In addition to enhancing the outlay for the Rashtriya Gokul Mission to Rs.
Faiyaz Ahmad 750 crore and announcing the setting up of Rashtriya Kamadhenu Aayog to improve
Mohd. Iqbal
productivity of indigenous cows, the budget has extended the interest subvention to
farmers pursuing animal husbandry and fisheries through Kisan Credit Card (KCC)
Head Office scheme, with an additional 3 per cent on timely repayment. Conceding a long pending
new delhi: : +91-11-29535848 /
29535593 / 29535872 demand of various stakeholders to stimulate growth in the fisheries sector, the budget
abfienquiry@gmail.com has made provision for formation of a separate department o f fisheries at the Centre.
Other Business Offices Banks have heaved a sigh of relief that the budget has not taken the soft option of
loan waiver, despite vociferous demands for it.
Mumbai: 9702903993 Some analysts fear that the PM KISAN Scheme could possibly lead o further
mtpl.mumbai@gmail.com
fragmentation of landholdings, as some families owing more than two hectares could
Pune: 9881137397 opt for further division of land holdings to avail themselves of the scheme. Updating
mtpl.pune@gmail.com
and digitization of land records holds the key to the success of the scheme.
Chennai: 9941130277 Some analysts are of the view that the government move to address agrarian
mediatodaychennai@gmail.com
distress “is too little, too late.” Rs 75,000 crore set apart for direct income support, says
Admn. & Marketing Office Economist Ashok Gulati, is nowhere near the annual loss of about Rs. 2,65,000 crore
MediA todAy PVt. ltd. that farmers have been suffering due to low prices because of restrictive marketing
J-73, Paryavaran Complex, neb sarai, and trade policies.
ignou road, new delhi - 110068 (india)
Phone : 91-11-29535848 / Points out a critic, the twin reasons for farmers’ indebtedness are low productivity,
29535593 / 29535872 particularly in rain-fed areas, on the one hand, and low price that the grower gets for
E-mail: abfienquiry@gmail.com
Web.: www.abfionline.com whatever he produces. The answer lies in expanding the area under irrigation and at
www.mediatoday.in the same time incentivize the farmers to modernize their farming practices. Efforts
Subscription should be made to ensure better price realization for farmers, for which one way is
india : 1 year rs. 1000/- by normal Post expansion of e-Nam, besides pushing through other marketing reforms.
rs. 1300/- by Courier
2 years rs. 1850/- by normal Post In this context, a welcome feature in the budget is the increased provision of Rs
rs. 2450/- by Courier 9,515.91 crore for Pradhan Mantri Sinchayee Yojana , to step up completion of some
overseas : us$ 120 for 1 year / us$ 230 for 2 years long pending irrigation projects. In addition, there is a provision of Rs. 5000 crore for
single Copy in india : rs. 100/-
single Copy Cost for overseas : us$10 micro irrigation. As for market support for farmers producing oilseeds and pulses,
(Add 5% GST) there is an enhanced provision of Rs.3000 crore for the market intervention and Price
Support Scheme for 2019-20.
Printed, published and owned by Critics feel implementation of various offers would be an uphill task.
syed Mohammad Baqar naqvi,
Printed at sonu Printer, B-180, okhla industrial Area
Ph-i, new delhi - 110 020 and
Published from A-44, 1 Floor, Freedom Fighter Comments are welcome at: editorialmtpl@gmail.com
st
enclave, neb sarai, new delhi - 110 068 (indiA) Views expressed by individuals and contributors in the magazine are their own and do not necessarily represent
the views of “AgriBusiness & Food industry” editorial board. AgriBusiness & Food industry does not accept any
Editor : S. Jafar Naqvi responsibility of any direct, indirect or consequential damage caused to any party due to views expressed by
any one or more persons in the trade. All disputes are to be referred to delhi Jurisdiction only. .....editor
Vol 16....... issue 3 ...... March, 2019
8 8 March 2019 AgriBusiness & Food AgriBusiness & Food i ndustri ndustr y
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March 2019