Agriculture and Industry interlined at different levels – Union MOS Shri Kailash Choudhary

Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Kailash Choudhary today attended Globoil awards at Taj Convention center Goa. Speaking on the occasion, the minister said that despite the lockdown the agricultural output of the country has not come down and whatever historical shortcomings, be it Labour or fertilizers, the current government has addressed it. The Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers’ Welfare has been allocated Rs 1,23,018 crore in 2021-22, which is a 14% annual increase over 2019-20 and this is almost seven times from pre 2014 period. Minister also spoke about the ethanol blending programme in India. Immense benefits can accrue to the country by 20% ethanol blending by 2025, such as saving Rs 30,000 crore of foreign exchange per year, energy security, lower carbon emissions, better air quality, self-reliance, use of damaged food grains, increasing farmers’ incomes, employment generation, and greater investment opportunities. We have already achieved 8-9% ethanol blending and the target of 20% shall be achieved very soon, also the target of 60lakh tonne of sugar export this year is set to be realized..

The government under the leadership of Prime minister Shri Narendra Modi introduced a new pan India Central Sector Scheme called Agriculture Infrastructure Fund worth 1 lakh crore. The scheme shall provide a medium – long term debt financing facility for investment in viable projects for post-harvest management Infrastructure and community farming assets through interest subvention and financial support; Government has also launched a new Central Sector Scheme titled “Formation and Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Produce Organizations (FPOs)” with a clear strategy and committed resources to form and promote 10,000 new FPOs in the country with budgetary provision of Rs 6865 crore, said the minister.

India is currently not self sufficient in the oil production, with 70,000 crore in imports, to bridge this gap, Union government introduced a Rs 11,000 crore National Edible Oil Mission-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) to make India self-sufficient in cooking oils, including palm oil. Agriculture and Industry are interlinked at different levels and one support the other in a positive way, growth of both sectors essential for the overall progress of the country. Minister also reminded about the clarion call of the Hon’ble Minister that Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas’ is very important for the achievement of all our goals.