Budget 2020: Nirmala Sitharaman unveils 16-point plan for farmers

New Delhi, Feb 01: Finance Minister Nirmala Sithraman reiterated that the Narendra Modi government is committed to doubling farmers income by 2022 and listed points to indicate govt's focus on farmers and agriculture.

"We have provided for 11 crore farmers through PM Kisan Beema Yojana. Provision of annual assistance to the farmer is made sure through PM Kisan yojana. Agricultural markets need to be opened and liberalised. Fisheries, animal husbandry and dairy need to be provided for," she said while presenting the budget.

• Encourage states to take up 3 model agricultural laws.
• Comprehensive measures for 100 water-stressed districts.
• 20 lakh farmers to be helped to set up standalone solar pumps.
• Government to encourage balanced use of fertilisers. This is an important step because currently the use of chemical fertilisers is incentivised.
• NABARD will take up an exercise of mapping and geotagging agricultural warehouses, cold storage and other inventory storages.
• A village storage scheme is proposed to be managed by SHEs. This will help farmers store more and reduce logistics costs. Women in the village will be responsible for managing this seamless storage mechanism.
• Krishi Udaan on international and national routes.
• One product, one district scheme for the horticulture sector, which already exceeds the production of foodgrains.
• Financing on negotiating warehousing receipts - to be integrated with e-NAM.
• NABARD refinance scheme to be further extended. Rs 15 lakh crore allocation for Kisaan credit card scheme.
• Will eliminate foot and mouth disease of livestock.
• Marine fishery boost to help youth in coastal areas.