Reducing production cost, raising yields govt's top priority

Raising crop yields, cutting down cost of production, better marketing facilities and use of modern technologies are the major priorities of the government in 2016, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said today.
The minister announced that all 585 wholesale mandis will be linked to electronic platform by the end of March 2018. He said district-wise irrigation plan under the Rs 50,000 crore Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana will be ready by 2017.
"The Modi government is committed to the welfare of farmers... The commitment is to increase productivity. Unless crop yields do not increase, farmers will not prosper," Singh told reporters here.

"Reducing cost of production, better market, widespread use of newer technologies are our government's priorities this year," he added.
Highlighting the initiatives taken by the NDA government so far, the agriculture minister said it will provide soil health cards to five crore farmers in 2015-16 fiscal and the remaining nine crore by end of the next fiscal. Out of Rs 568 crore allotted for this scheme, Rs 109 crore has already been disbursed till December.
On the progress made in the setting up of National Electronic Agriculture Market, the minister said the Centre has allocated Rs 111.16 crore to eight states -- Gujarat, Maharasthra, Telangana, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chandigarh -- for linking 214 mandis with e-platform.

He said Uttar Pradesh has also shown interest in setting up of electronic agri-market platform.

Singh also listed out number of initiatives taken for augmenting irrigation facilities, promoting organic farming, animal husbandry and fisheries sector.
On Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY), the minister said, "Officers have been trained to prepare district irrigation plan. 100 districts irrigation plan should be ready by March 2016 and remaining districts by next year."
The PMKVY was launched to provide permanent solution to the problem of drought. Micro irrigation and water conservation are the thrust areas under the scheme, he said.
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"Increase in productivity will eradicate poverty of farmers. Our production is only half in comparison to worldwide production per hectare. Productivity and production could not be improved till the quality of land improves," Singh said while explaining the rationale behind promoting soil health card scheme.
The minister said no funds used to be allocated by the previous government for soil health improvement. This government has sanctioned Rs 568 crore for providing Soil Health Cards to 14 crore farmers.
"The government has sanctioned 79 and 101 Soil Health Laboratories as against only 43 such labs in the past four years. Similarly, 77 mobile Soil Testing Labs have been sanctioned in the present regime as against only 17 in the past regime," Singh said.

On organic farming, Singh said there was no scheme as such to promote organic farmers and the current government started a scheme 'Parampragat Krishi Vikas Yojana' with an allocation of Rs 300 crore.
"So far, 8,000 cluster have been farmed. Joint liability groups for landless labours were only 6.72 lakh during 2005- 14. There has been 7.2 lakh group formation in 2014-15."
Under National Food Security Mission (NFSM), the minister said coarse cereals, sugarcane, jute and cotton have been included apart from rice, wheat and pulses. The coverage has increased from 486 districts to 627 in last two years.
On agri-credit, the minister said the government has disbursed Rs 6,03,186 crore to farmers till December of the 2015-16 fiscal, while the target is Rs 8,50,000 crore.

Highlighting achievements made in dairy and fisheries sector, the minister said efforts have been made to conserve indigenous cattle breeds under the National Gokul Mission and has sanctioned Rs 550 crore for this purpose till December.
The coverage under insurance coverage under National Livestock Mission (NLM) has been extended to entire country. About 19 lakh animals have been insured so far as against 10.88 lakh last year.
The government has also initiated efforts to increase fisheries production from the current level of 150 lakh tonnes, he added.