Government Plans: The previous year brought positive developments for farming. New programs for agriculture were introduced, but farmers also dealt with natural disasters. We’ll explain in detail how the past year went for farmers and why the upcoming year is significant
As we say goodbye to 2023, people are looking forward to the new year. The farming sector, a crucial part of India’s progress, is optimistic about the coming year. In the past year, there was noticeable improvement in farming due to the introduction of helpful plans. However, farmers also faced challenges like unexpected rains and drought, causing significant crop losses. Currently, many areas are coping with weather-related problems.
Despite these challenges, farmers are strong and preparing for new opportunities in the coming year. They believe that the new year will bring positive results, inspired by some good things that happened in the previous year. Let’s take a closer look at how the farming sector did last year and understand why the coming year looks promising for farmers.
Gift of Credit Cards for 2 Million Farmers
Last year, 2 million farmers received a special gift called the Kisan Credit Card. This card is part of a program to help farmers with money. It’s like a loan, but with very low interest rates – the lowest in the whole country. With this card, farmers can get short-term loans to manage their sudden money needs. The good thing is, farmers don’t have to pay a lot of extra money as interest on the loan; they get it at a cheaper rate.
Drone Technology Boost in Farming
This year is all about promoting drones in farming. The government is working hard to encourage farmers to use drones on their farms. This helps in using modern machines more, reduces the cost of farming, and makes more jobs in rural areas. To make it easier, the government is giving farmers a big discount when they buy drones. Not just that, they are also teaching farmers how to use drones. Some fertilizer companies are even offering drones for rent to farmers, so they can spray fertilizers and chemicals in rural areas.
Growing More Coarse Grains
In 2023, a plan named Shri Anna Yojana began to increase the production of coarse grains in India. This plan provides money and support to farmers who grow coarse grains. India aims to be the best in the world at making food, and this plan helps with that goal. To make people healthier, the Uttar Pradesh government, as part of this plan, made it a big deal. They set a goal to buy 5.82 lakh metric tonnes of coarse grains in just three months, from November to December 2023.
A New Name for Agriculture Ministry
Because farmers’ needs are important, the government changed the old name of the Agriculture Ministry after seven decades. Now, it’s called the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. The government believes this change will help improve farming overall. A long time ago, before India became independent, there was a department that handled Revenue, Agriculture, and Commerce together, starting in June 1871. In 1881, it changed, and Revenue and Agriculture became separate. When India became independent, the Agriculture Department got the name Ministry of Agriculture. But this year, the government decided to change it to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
Money for Gardens:
In 2023, the government decided to give Rs 2,200 crore for gardens. They started the Self-reliant Clean Sapling Program to help farmers who grow high-quality plants for gardens. This big support was given to the farmers involved in gardens this year.
New Plan for Fishing Wealth:
A new plan called PM Matsya Sampada will spend Rs 6,000 crore. The decision was made last year. This plan started in 2023 to increase fish production in the country. The government allocated Rs 20,050 crore for its successful operation, starting with Rs 17,000 crore. This money will be used by the government between 2021 and 2025.
Bio Input Resource Centers:
To help natural farming, 10 thousand Bio Input Resource Centers are being opened. The decision to open these centers was important last year. These centers make it easy for farmers to get natural resources needed for natural farming. Things like cow dung, urine, neem, and other natural inputs are important for this. These centers are put in places where 15 thousand model clusters of natural farming are planned so that farmers can easily get what they need.
Better Prices for Farmers:
Farmers used to complain they didn’t get fair prices for what they grew. In 2023, the Central Government increased the MSP for Rabi crops for the 2024-25 season. This ensures that farmers get good prices for what they produce. This year, they approved an increase of Rs 115 per quintal for barley and Rs 105 per quintal for gram.
Boosting What We Make in India:
Last year was good for farmers growing oilseeds. Now, the government is taking important steps to make more things in our country. India usually buys a lot of edible oil from other countries, but the government wants to change that. They want to make more oil in India. Right now, most of the palm oil comes from Indonesia and Malaysia, soybean oil comes from Argentina and Brazil. The government is working to change this.
Promoting Organic Farming:
Lately, there’s been a special focus on the Bihar Agricultural Development Scheme to help organic farming. Under this scheme, the government will give Rs 50 thousand per hectare for organic farming for three years. Out of this money, Rs 31 thousand will be for organic fertilizers, pesticides, and seeds, and Rs 8,800 will be for adding value and distributing the products.
Money Help for Farmers:
For economic development, farmers were given money under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana this year. This scheme got special attention last year. Farmers get Rs 6 thousand per year in three parts every 4 months. The government might increase this amount in the new year. So far, 15 parts have been given, and the next, 16th part is expected in February.
Loans for Farmers:
The Finance Minister made big announcements for the agriculture sector in the budget for the financial year 2023-24. The government plans to give loans up to Rs 20 lakh crore to farmers. This will help farmers make plans, get insurance, take loans, understand the market, and connect with startups and agriculture-based industries. It will also increase production and profits. The government will create an Agriculture Accelerator Fund for this, promoting startups in agriculture. This will also bring in modern technology.
Why is 2024 a big deal for farming?
Many people are excited about the upcoming year. There’s news that the central government may spend more money in the new year to support farming and increase farmers’ earnings. They’re talking about raising the amount given in the PM Kisan Yojana from Rs 6 thousand to Rs 9 thousand. Also, the government is considering expanding what the crop insurance covers. It’s mentioned that the government might allocate around Rs 2 lakh crore for farming in the 2024-25 budget. If this happens, it will be about 39 percent more than the budget of Rs 1.44 lakh crore for the current financial year. With this extra money, farmers can earn more, and more crops can be safeguarded with insurance.
