Agriculture in ‘Mission Mode’

Context:

• Rajasthan government, for the first time, presented an agriculture budget separately.
• The state government is looking to assuage the agricultural prospects of distraught farmers and consolidate their support for the government who have been feeling a sense of discontentment with the Centre’s agricultural policies

Key Points:

• Around 30 per cent of the state’s Gross State Domestic Product (GDSP) comes from farming and related activities.
• But more importantly, about 85 lakh families are dependent on farming.
• The state government has highlighted 11 areas in the sector where work will be done in “Mission Mode”.
• Under the Rajasthan Micro Irrigation Mission, about Rs 2,700 crore has been allocated. This includes a provision of Rs 1,705 crore for irrigation via drip/sprinkler to over 4 lakh farmers, while Rs 100 crore has been provisioned for a 20,000-kilometre irrigation pipeline.
• The Rajasthan Organic Farming Mission, with an outlay of Rs 600 crore, aims to benefit around 4 lakh farmers. It aims to provide organic seeds, fertilisers and pesticides to farmers.
• The objective of the Rajasthan Seed Production and Distribution Mission is to provide free seed mini-kits to 12 lakh small and marginal farmers, among other things.
• Under the Rajasthan Millets Promotion Mission, the government aims to benefit around 15 lakh farmers.
• The government has allocated Rs 100 crore for the mission under which free seeds will be provided to 10 lakh small and marginal farmers, and 2 lakh farmers will get subsidised micronutrients and biopesticide kits.
• A Centre of Excellence for Millets will also be set up in Jodhpur.
• The Rajasthan Protected Cultivation Mission aims to provide subsidies worth Rs 400 crore to 25,000 farmers to establish greenhouse/shade net/low tunnels.
• The Rajasthan Horticulture Development Mission aims to benefit 15,000 farmers with Rs 100 crore allocated in the next two years.
• Here, subsidies will be given to 10,000 farmers to develop orchards on 15,000 hectares of land.
• The Rajasthan Crop Protection Mission aims to provide a subsidy of Rs 100 crore for the fencing of 1.25 lakh metres. It is expected to benefit over 35,000 farmers.
• Under the Rajasthan Land Fertility Mission, the aim is to improve the quality of saline and alkaline land, and increase production through green manures.
• Under the Rajasthan Agricultural Labourers Empowerment Mission, families of landless labourers will be provided with a subsidy of Rs 5,000 on the purchase of agricultural equipment. The government has allocated Rs 100 crore for this.
• The Rajasthan Agri Tech Mission has an outlay of Rs 400 crore, including an equipment subsidy of Rs 150 crore.
• Farmer Producer Organisations and custom hiring centres will be provided one thousand drones at a cost of Rs 40 crore for assistance with farming, controlling locusts etc.
• Under the Rajasthan Food Processing Mission, subsidies have been planned for certain crops. Additionally, a Centre of Excellence for Apiculture has been planned for Bharatpur with Rs 7.5 crore.
• To promote solar energy, the government has announced a 60 per cent subsidy for one lakh farmers to set up solar pump sets. This will cost the exchequer Rs 500 crore. Also, an additional subsidy of up to Rs 45,000 will be given to 50,000 SC and ST farmers at a cost of Rs 200 crore.