My number one focus now is to generate employment: Harsimrat Kaur Badal

In her second stint, Food processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal tells her focus will be on generating jobs, in an interview with Subhayan Chakraborty and Nivedita Mookerji. Edited excerpts:

During her second stint as the Minister for Food Processing, Harsimrat Kaur Badal’s priority will be to generate employment and convert job seekers into job creators, she tells Subhayan Chakraborty and Nivedita Mookerji in an interview. Edited excerpts:

How is the Modi 2.0 government as opposed to the last five years?

As far as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is concerned, you can be rest assured that things will be different every time. So, it won’t just be a government of continuity. In the first Cabinet meeting itself, the PM had made it clear that he didn’t want a sense of lethargy. The message was that ministers must begin with new vigour, new josh, new ideas. The motivating talk by the PM made all of us think of new ideas and set fresh targets.

Is there any specific direction that the PM has given to the ministers?

The PM must be having a strategy in mind. But the overall direction is that all ministries should look at the last mile, and then everything else will fall in place.

The PM now wants 5-year plans from ministers, apart from the 100-day agenda that they have prepared. Does that change things?

This is a good thing. One, we are going to look at what were our goals in the manifesto and make sure they get delivered. The other thing is to have a clear vision when you start off. I knew when I began in 2014, our target was to double farmers’ income by 2022. It’s not just about growing more plants to sell at mandis. It also involves having access to big retailers with demand for his crops. He must have processors demanding his crops and industry partnering with him. That's why I brought in foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi brand retail of food.

What is your main focus this time?

I have set my own targets. After going around canvassing on the ground for the past three months, I knew that job is the number one concern, be it a labourer, shopkeeper or a farmer. Food processing is one of the largest generators of employment. We had focused on building infrastructure for the past five years and now my number one focus is to generate employment and take infrastructure building to number two, because that's already in the pipeline.

Is there any action plan for job creation?

I'm aiming at rural employment. Punjab is one of the most affluent states but even for the son a farmer, farming is not viable any more. Things must be much worse in other states. My rough plan is to have training cum processing centres in every district where people bring what is grown in that area. There’s  an infrastructure which people can use to add value to what they're already growing in the field. The product is packed, processed and labelled and then has to be an outlet where it can be sold. At the same time, one has to see how the retail outlets I have brought in through the FDI in multi brand food can be linked to this, so that a chain is made.

How will it generate jobs?  

A farmer can keep using these common facilities. After five to six years, he will be confident enough to take a grant from one of the existing schemes and open a business himself, and then he can become a job giver, rather than a job seeker. I also have a World Bank scheme – the Gram Samriddhi Yojana – on which we had worked on for the last two years and hopefully would get cleared in a few days. The scheme targets small farmers to offer subsidy.

The PM has set up a Cabinet Committee on Employment and Skill Development. How will your inputs be incorporated?

I have spoken to the agriculture minister, who sits right next to me at the Cabinet. I've told him that some of us need to sit together, the ministers for MSME, agriculture, consumer affairs and myself to synergize our schemes. We need to know what can be used from all of our schemes to make it less cumbersome for a newcomer wanting to get into the food processing business.

Is there anything left to be done in the food policy space to attract foreign investments?

I will take it up afresh with Piyush-ji (Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal). I genuinely believe there can’t be a better thing than videshi paisa for swadeshi infrastructure, because the government can’t do everything. Private investment, which brings in the best of infrastructure technology and knowhow is needed to push up our processing levels much higher. We are at 12 per cent, and may add 5 per cent more by government intervention, but we need to get to 80 per cent fast.

With Amit Shah presiding over meetings with senior ministers and being inducted into all key cabinet committees, is there a perception that there are multiple power centres now?

The power centre is still the Prime Minister, there are no two ways about that. Everybody comes under him. But if he has got more people to help him and make the government more efficient, effective and faster, I think that’s very good. We performed brilliantly last five years. Now with Amit Shah pitching in, I think it’s excellent. The way he has transformed India, and given many states to the BJP, speaks volumes for his efficiency.

Just like water has been brought under a single ministry, do you feel food processing would benefit if many related agencies could come under your portfolio?

Ideally, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, under the health ministry, should be with us. Also, the Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority and Marine Products Export Development Authority, under the Commerce Ministry, should also be with us. I need to know what the international trends are… I’m looking at the home end, and Commerce is looking at the outside end, somehow it doesn’t make sense.

What is the woman power like in this council of ministers?

As long as PM Modi is there, the woman power would always be very high. He realises the potential women hold to take the country forward…. Whether it’s promoting the ‘beti bachao -beti padhao’ campaign or giving a clarion call about women’s safety from the ramparts of the Red Fort, the PM wants to uplift women…. He’s also broken the glass ceiling and given positions to women that have not been held earlier by a woman – be it a finance minister or an external affairs minister.

What’s your expectation from the Union Budget?

The one on July 5 will be more about balancing what was already there in the interim Budget. The focus is on the Budget next year.

Does it help to have a woman finance minister, who’s also your neighbour?

I think being a neighbour has nothing to do with it (laughs). The PM has taken a decision, and I’m sure it’s a very wise decision. Nirmala Sitharaman is very competent. She’s done a good job in both Defence and Commerce, and she’ll do a good job as FM too.