MP plans to make separate agri Budget

To resuscitate the state’s ailing agriculture sector, Madhya Pradesh government today decided to make separate annual Budget for the sector.

The state government has already created a separate cabinet for the purpose and has inducted twelve ministers. It would only come up with a separate agri Budget in the Assembly while presenting an overall scenario like Economic Survey before the annual Budget.

Further, farm mechanisation will now be a priority for the government. In addition, forest dwellers who hold ‘pattas’ will be given farmer status. Ironically, of the total elected ministers six were absent in the cabinet’s first meeting today.

“This Budget would aim at improving agriculture extension across the state, the farm mechanisation will be 1.5 horsepower per hectare as against the existing 0.85 hp per hectare,” said a government spokesperson.

The Cabinet also recommended to increase seed availability, creation of more agriculture laboratory, DNA print laboratory, pilot project in each of the eleven agro-climatic zones, creation of more seed producer companies, promotion to coarse grains in tribal areas and an extensive programme to launch agri-extension programme at 19 centres.

“The Cabinet has recommended that agriculture universities of the state should launch more short-term courses on agri-management to increase employability in the sector,” said the spokesperson.

There are 7.7 million farmers in the state who hold more than 1.5 million hectare of land but the government has made oft-repeated statements that agriculture is not a profitable business in the state due to low productivity, seed shortage and farm extension programmes. Farmers also have limited access to credit and mechanisation, which according to a National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development report is not fruitful. The government has also accepted that only thirty per cent of the farm area is irrigated.