Pawar protests low budget given to agri

Concerned over the low budgetary provision for the farm sector, Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister Sharad Pawar today demanded that allocation for it be hiked to enhance output.

"You will be surprised that the total money in the last 5 to 7 years for agriculture has been not more than 2.5 per cent of the Budget for 60 per cent of the population depending on agriculture.

"While a sector like telecommunication gets 16 per cent (of the Budget allocation), for the Indian agriculture, it is only 2 per cent", Pawar said addressing the 46th annual meeting of the general body of the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories here.

Observing that more funds are provided for drought relief than for irrigation, Pawar sought monetary support for projects like drip and sprinkler irrigation to improve productivity in the agriculture sector.

He said sufficient investment should be made in the irrigation sector as the total money given to irrigation was only 0.35 per cent of the Budget.

Pawar also expressed concern over the low agriculture investment in the country and said this must be addressed.