GOVERNMENT PROPOSES ₹50,000 CRORE AGRICULTURAL REFORM SCHEME

Why in the news?

  • The government is considering a ₹50,000 crore scheme to incentivize states for adopting agricultural reforms.
  • The scheme aims to fund reforms in agriculture marketing, contract farming, and land leasing.
  • The proposal revives an idea from the 15th Finance Commission’s 2020-21 report, which suggested performance-based incentives for states implementing agricultural reforms.
Source:lotusarise

Key Government Initiatives in Agriculture:

  • Urea Subsidy: Supports farmers with urea subsidies.
  • Agriculture Export Policy, 2018: Facilitates agricultural product exports.
  • PMFBY: Crop insurance for financial protection.
  • AGRI-UDAAN: Mentors agri start-ups and investors.
  • PMKSY: ₹50,000 crore for irrigation development.
  • Food Processing Expansion: ₹6,000 crore for mega food parks.
  • 100% FDI in Food Marketing: Enables full FDI in food e-commerce.
  • e-RaKam: Platform for agricultural produce sales.
  • e-NAM: Unified national market for agri commodities.
  • PM-AASHA: Ensures remunerative prices for farmers.
  • PM-KISAN: Direct income support to small farmers.
  • Farm Laws of 2020: Reforms for better agricultural trade.
Welfare Schemes for Farmers:

PM-KISAN:

  • Purpose: Provides ₹6,000/year to landholding farmers in three instalments.
  • Achievements: ₹2.81 lakh crores disbursed to 11 crore farmers.

PM-KMY:

  • Purpose: Pension scheme for small/marginal farmers.
  • Achievements: 23.38 lakh farmers enrolled, offering ₹3,000/month post-60 years.

PMFBY:

  • Purpose: Crop insurance for natural risks.
  • Achievements: ₹150,589.10 crore paid as claims.
  • Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS):
  • Purpose: Provides concessional loans up to ₹3 lakh at 4% interest.
  • Achievements: 465.42 lakh KCCs sanctioned.

Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF):

  • Purpose: Debt financing for agriculture infrastructure.
  • Achievements: ₹33,209 crore sanctioned for 44,912 projects.

Formation & Promotion of 10,000 FPOs:

  • Purpose: Supports FPOs with financial aid, equity grants, and credit.
  • Achievements: 7,774 FPOs registered.

National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM):

  • Purpose: Promotes beekeeping and honey production.
  • Achievements: 23 lakh bee colonies registered, 100 Honey FPOs targeted.

Market Intervention Scheme and Price Support Scheme (MIS-PSS):

  • Purpose: Procures pulses, oilseeds, and perishable commodities.
  • Achievements: Prevents distress sales