Centre okays Rs 14,000-crore for 7 new schemes to boost farmer income

Seven new schemes aim to leverage technology, crop science in agri sector

The Union Cabinet on Monday announced seven new schemes with a total outlay of nearly Rs 14,000 crore for the agriculture and allied sectors. 

The schemes focus on research and education, climate resilience, natural resource management and digitisation in the agriculture sector along with growth of livestock and horticulture. The aim of the schemes is to prepare farmers for climate-resistant agriculture.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnav said that the programmes approved included a Rs 2,817 crore digital agriculture mission and a Rs 3,979 crore scheme for crop science.

The crop science for food and nutritional security programmes has six pillars that include research and education, plant genetic resource management, genetic improvement for food and fodder crop, pulse and oilseed crop improvement, research on insects, microbes, pollinators, and improvement of commercial crops.

The Cabinet also approved an outlay of Rs 2,291 crore for strengthening agriculture education, management and social sciences. This programme will be under Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

The aim is to modernise agri-research and education in line with New Education Policy 2020. The use of latest technology like Digital DPI, Al, big data, remote, etc. will be promoted and the programme includes natural farming and climate resilience.

The Digital Agriculture Mission with a total investment of Rs 2,817 crore has two foundation pillars of Agri Stack and Krishi Decision Support System.

The minister said a Rs 1,702 crore scheme has also been cleared for sustainable livestock health and their production. The scheme aims to increase farmers' income from livestock and dairy.

Under this scheme, the focus will be on animal health management and veterinary education, dairy production and technology development, animal genetic resource management, production and improvement, and animal nutrition and small ruminant production and development.

Another major scheme cleared by the Cabinet relates to sustainable development for horticulture.

“With a total outlay of Rs 860 crore, the measure is aimed at increasing farmers' income from horticulture plants,” the minister said.

The programme comprises tropical, sub-tropical and temperate horticulture crops; root, tuber, bulbous and arid crops; vegetable, floriculture, and mushroom crops; and plantation, spices, medicinal, and aromatic plants.

The Cabinet also gave approvals to a Rs 1,202-crore scheme for strengthening of Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and a Rs 1,115-crore scheme for Natural Resource Management. There are more than 700 KVKs across the country.