On Budget eve, PM Modi talks of farmers

Says he's 'full of confidence' ahead of his 'exam' today by 1.25 billion people

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said he was "full of confidence" about his Monday 'exam' - presentation of his government's Budget for 2016-17. A couple of hours later, the PM addressed a farmers' rally in Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, his fourth in the past fortnight, urging all states to give priority to implementation of the 'road map' for boosting the agriculture sector with a target of doubling the income of farmers by 2022. The PM's comments come in the wake of indications that this year's Budget could have rural areas and agriculture sector as its focus.

The PM's monthly radio broadcast - Sunday's was the 17th edition - focused on advising students appearing for their board examinations about proper preparation. Notably, there was no word on any of the recent controversies, whether the Jawaharlal Nehru University row or the breakdown of law and order in Haryana during the agitation by the Jat community for reservation.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will present the Budget in the Lok Sabha at 11 am on Monday. Modi, who admitted to having 'tension' sometimes, said he was "full of confidence" ahead of his 'examination', a trait which he wanted students to emulate when they appear for their examinations for Class X and XII starting Tuesday. The PM said students should appear for the exams with a "positive approach" having free and calm mind without any anxiety.

"Friends, your exams are starting. I, too, have an exam tomorrow (on Monday). The country's 1.25 billion people are going to take my examination. But, you must have seen how healthy I am feeling, how full of confidence I am. Let my exams take place tomorrow and yours day after and may all of us succeed so that the nation succeeds... Move ahead with a free mind, without any tension of success or failure," he said in his 35-minute programme.

Later in the day, the PM addressed a farmers' rally in Uttar Pradesh. He had addressed such rallies in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha in the past fortnight.

The PM talked about his government's crop insurance scheme, which he termed a 'protective shield', and talked about various other initiatives including plans to launch e-platform for marketing of agriculture products in April to ensure the farming community's welfare.

Underlining the vision of doubling the income of farmers by 2022, the 75th year of Independence of the country, Modi said, "From this land of Uttar Pradesh, I urge all states to give priority to agriculture and then see the changes. The roadmap is there; you only have to implement it." UP is scheduled for Assembly elections in early 2017.

Noting the subject of agriculture is with states, he said: "The states where some work has been done in the farming sector have witnessed progress. But, in the states having the approach of chalta hai (let it happen) and 'election time pe dekh lenge' (will see at the time of elections), the fate of the farmers has been left to the God. After God, there is nobody to help them."

He said agriculture should be made employment-oriented to make it attractive to the new generation cultivators as he noted that agriculture, manufacturing and service sectors were the backbone of the country's economy.