Prime Minister addresses a webinar on Agriculture and Union Budget 2022-23

Tags: National News

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed a webinar on the positive impact of the Union Budget 2022 in the Agriculture sector on 24 February 2022.

The Webinar was focused on ‘Smart Agriculture’- Strategies for implementation. 

Main highlights of his speech 

To make Agriculture Modern and Smart 

The Prime Minister elaborated on the seven ways in which the Budget proposes to make agriculture modern and smart. 

Firstly, The target is to undertake natural farming on mission mode within 5 kms on both the banks of the Ganges. 

Secondly, Modern technology in agriculture and horticulture will be made available to the farmers.

 Thirdly, Emphasis has been laid on strengthening Mission Oil Palm to reduce the import of edible oil. 

Fourthly, new logistics arrangements will be made through the PM Gati-Shakti plan for the transportation of agricultural products.

 Fifth solution in the Budget is better organization of agri-waste management and increasing farmers’ income through waste to energy solutions. 

Sixthly, more than 1.5 lakh post offices will provide services like regular banking so that farmers are not troubled. 

Seventh, Agri research and education syllabus will be changed as per demands of modern times with regard to skill development and human resource development.

Benefit of PM KISAN yojana  

• As on 22nd February, 2022, benefits under PM KISAN(Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi) scheme have been provided to about 11.78 Crore farmers and funds amounting to Rs1.82 lakh crore in various installments have been released to the eligible beneficiaries of this scheme across India.   

• The PM KISAN scheme was launched on 24 February ,2019 at Gorakhpur,Uttar Pradesh , by  Narendra Modi  . It provides Rs 6000/year to eligible farmers in  three installments of Rs 2000 each.

Budgetary Allocation for PM -KISAN 

The Centre has allocated Rs 68,000 crore for the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) in the Union Budget 2022-23, which is just 4.6 per cent higher than the Budget Estimates of Rs 65,000 crore for 2021-22 and only 0.74 per cent higher than the revised estimates of Rs 67,500 crore for the current financial year 

He said that Agriculture budget allocation has increased manifold .

• The  Agriculture Ministry has been allocated Rs 1,32,514 crore in 2022-23, a 4.5% increase over the revised estimates of 2021-22.

• Allocation to the Ministry accounts for 3.4% of the government’s budget.  55% of the allocation to the Ministry in 2022-23 is for the PM-KISAN scheme (Rs 68,000 crore). 

He said that the government has increased the agriculture loans for farmers by  two and half times in the last 7 years”

The target for banks for lending to the agricultural sector in 2022-23 is Rs 18 Lakh Crores. In 2021-22 it was 16.50 lakh crore .”