New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is addressing a press conference to announce the third tranche of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan economic package of Rs 20 lakh crore. Today’s announcements will focus on agriculture and allied activities.
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HIGHLIGHTS:
# A facilitative legal framework will be created to enable farmers for engaging with processors, aggregators, large retailers,exporters in a fair and transparent manner
# A central law will be formulated to provide adequate choices to the farmers to sell produce at an attractive price, barrier-free interstate trade and framework for e-trading of agricultural produce
# Government to amend the Essential Commodities Act to enable better price realisation for farmers; agriculture products including cereals, edible oils, oilseeds, pulses, onions, and potatoes to be de-regulated
# Operation Greens to be extended from Tomatoes, Onions and Potatoes (TOP) to all fruits and vegetables (TOTAL)
# Govt to implement a Rs 500 crore scheme of infrastructure development related to integrated beekeeping development centres, collection,marketing & storage centres, post-harvest and value addition facilities; this will lead to an increase in income of 2 lakh bee-keepers
# National Medicinal Plants Board will bring 800-hectare area by developing a corridor of medicinal plants along the banks of river Ganga
# Rs 4000 crore allocated for promotion of herbal cultivation; 10,00,000 hectare will be covered in the next 2 years
# Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund of Rs 15,000 crores will be set up
# National Animal Disease Control Programme for Foot and Mouth Disease and Brucellosis launched with a total outlay of Rs 13,343 cr:
# Govt to launch the Rs 20,000 crore Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana for development of marine and inland fisheries. 55 lakh people expected to get employment from this program
# All COVID19 related deadline extensions relating to fisheries activities, many of them involving overseas contracts, have been honoured. Very many measures which will help marine and coastal farmers have been undertaken as promised
# Government introduces a Rs 10,000 crores scheme for the formalisation of Micro Food Enterprises (MFE); the scheme promotes PM’s vision of ‘Vocal for Local with global outreach’
# Government to immediately create a Rs 1 lakh crore Agri-Infrastructure Fund for farm gate infrastructure for farmers: FM Nirmala Sitharaman
# During COVID lockdown period, the demand for milk reduced by 20-25%. A new scheme to provide interest subvention at 2% per annum to dairy cooperatives for 2020-21. The scheme will unlock Rs 5000 cr additional liquidity, benefit to 2 cr farmers: FM Sitharaman
# During lockdown period Minimum Support Price purchases of amount more than Rs 74,300 crores; PM Kisan fund transfer of Rs 18700 cr: FM Nirmala Sitharaman on additional steps for agriculture during COVID19
# I will be announcing 11 measures today, of which 8 of them relate to strengthening infrastructure, capacities and building better logistics, while the rest 3 will pertain to governance and administrative reforms: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
# Today’s announcements will focus on agriculture and allied activities: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
