Presenting the Union Budget on Tuesday, 1 February, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced, “Inclusive development is the government’s priority which includes procurement of wheat, paddy, kharif and rabi crops, benefitting 163 lakh farmers.”
She said Rs 2.37 lakh crores will be the humungous amount of direct payment of MSP value to their accounts. FM Nirmala Sitharaman also said that chemical-free natural farming will be promoted throughout the country with a focus on farmers’ land in 5 km wide corridors along the river Ganga, in the first stage.
This comes two months after the farmers’ agitation demanding guaranteed MSP for farm produce ended with the government recalling three farm reform laws brought in 2020. The protest was dominated by farmers from poll-bound Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.
Nirmala Sitharaman said, “Farm procurement value for FY23 to be Rs 2.37 trillion.”
She announced a plan to promote oilseed cultivation to reduce import dependency and for promotion of millet production with emphasis on exports.
Sitharaman said the government would promote chemical-free natural farming throughout the country to boost sustainable agricultural productivity and income of the farmers.
“For farmers to adopt natural farming, a comprehensive package for participation of state governments and MSMEs to be introduced,” she was quoted as saying.
The government wanted farmers to move away from wheat farming to more diverse crops and fruits and also wanted to democratise the procurement procedures.
