Farm markets need to be liberalised, will hand-hold farmers: Sitharaman

Farm markets need to be liberalised and the government is proposing to hand-hold farmers, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Saturday.

Presenting the Budget for 2020-21, Sitharaman said the government is proposing a 16-point action plan to boost agriculture and farmers' welfare.

Sitharaman said agricultural services need copious investments, and added that the government has insured 6.11 crore farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna.

"Everything that we do, speak through budget, everything that the government does is for the country," she said.