This is the first government after independence which is taking concrete steps at grass root level for the development of farmers, said Union Minister Radha Mohan Singh addressing representatives in a meeting of Agri-Marketing Ministers in Delhi.
“It is the dream of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to double farmers’ income by 2022 and this is possible only with the cooperation between states and the Centre”, saying this Singh postulated three-pronged strategy to achieve the goal.
The first level includes production cost reduction and to increase productivity. To achieve that, the states should make optimal use of the central government schemes – Soil Health Card and Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana.
Union Agriculture Minister said that second level to double farmers’ incomes includes diversification into allied activities such as livestock, poultry, bee-keeping, and agroforestry. The government has taken several steps in this regard.
And the third and the most important level include providing regulated Mandis to ensure profitable returns to farmers for their produce. So far traditional Mandis have done well, however, now it’s imperative for the Mandis to adopt new marketing strategies, said Singh.
He informed that the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved National Agriculture Market (E-NAM) Scheme on July 1, 2015, with a budget allocation of Rs.200 crore. E-NAM is seen as a milestone in the government’s Digital India initiative.
Secondly, the ministry has formulated Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act 2017, which was sent to the states and union territories for comments on Feb 6, 2017. The draft was also uploaded on the Agriculture Department’s official website for public comments.
Apart from this, interstate trade is also being promoted. Shri Singh said currently regularised market is available at every 462 sq km, but as per the recommendations of National Commission ideally, a regulated market should be available to farmers within a radius of 5 Km. To achieve the same, and to provide markets for the farmers’ at their farm gates provision of declaring godowns and cold storages as market have been made.
If the state governments would implement it diligently, farmers will be empowered to decide who to sell and at what price to sell. Union Agriculture Minister said that one of the important points of this scheme is that the farmers would get the price of their yields based on the quality of their product because before electronic bidding quality will be tested.
Singh said that another important decision taken by the government is the formulation of model contract farming law. It will help in providing marketing infrastructure, developing marketing skills and in reducing risks associated with diversity in production.
It will also help in preparing a price list for all commodities and improving the share of producers in consumers’ money. To achieve that, the government constituted a committee under the chairmanship of Additional Secretary (Marketing) on February 28, 2017, said Singh.
