Monday, April 21, 2025

Key Agricultural Development Programs & Issues in India part 21

 Okay, here are the structured notes in English based on the provided Telugu transcript.

Subject: Key Agricultural Development Programs & Issues in India

1. Introduction

  • Previous discussion covered the Irrigation sector in Indian Agriculture.

  • This session focuses on major Agricultural Development Programs currently being implemented in India, especially trending schemes.

2. Context & Challenges in Indian Agriculture

  • Goal: Doubling Farmers' Income (Target mentioned as 2022, based on 2018 comparison).

  • Vision @2047: Make India a developed nation by its 100th year of independence, requiring the upliftment of farmers whose incomes often lag.

  • Core Problems Addressed by Schemes:

    • Low farmer income.

    • Demand-Supply Mismatch: Growing crops with low market demand (e.g., excess paddy) while neglecting high-demand crops.

    • Irrigation Gaps: Lack of adequate irrigation facilities for all cultivable land.

    • Market Access & Pricing: Insufficient market infrastructure leading to farmers not getting remunerative prices (Minimum Support Price - MSP often not realized).

    • Farmer Distress: Instances of farmers resorting to dumping or burning produce due to extremely low prices.

3. Key Agricultural Schemes & Focus Areas

A. International Year of Millets (IYoM) - 2023

  • Context: Recognized as a significant focus area to boost production and consumption.

  • India's Position:

    • Major global producer (approx. 20% world share).

    • Dominant Asian producer (approx. 80% share).

  • Yield Advantage: India's average millet yield (1239 kg/ha ) slightly surpasses the world average (1229 kg/ha ).

  • Rationale for Promotion: High international demand, nutritional benefits, suitability for Indian conditions.

  • Government Action: India proposed and promoted the UN declaration of 2023 as IYoM.

  • Nutri-Cereals Sub-Mission: A dedicated program under the National Food Security Mission (NFSM) to promote millet cultivation, mentioned as covering 212 districts across 14 states.

  • Key Institution: Indian Institute of Millet Research (IIMR) is located in Rajendranagar, Hyderabad. (Noted as important for exams).

  • Note: Speaker mentioned India's millet production around 60 million tonnes [04:47], which seems very high for millets alone and might be inaccurate.

B. Food Processing Industry (FPI)

  • Definition: Industry converting raw agricultural produce into consumable or value-added products.

  • Importance:

    • Creates stable demand for farm produce.

    • Helps farmers get better prices, especially during market gluts.

    • Reduces post-harvest losses.

    • Generates employment.

    • Boosts exports.

  • Growth: Mentioned an average annual growth rate of 8.3% (approx. 2018-2021).

  • Contribution:

    • Employment: 12.2% of the registered manufacturing sector (ASI 2019-20).

    • Exports: Agro-food products accounted for 10.9% of India's total exports (2021-22).

  • Government Support: Actively promoted, especially under Atmanirbhar Bharat.

  • PM-FME Scheme: (Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises) Launched in 2020 to support micro-level food processing units.

C. Krishi Udan Scheme

  • Purpose: Facilitate movement of agricultural produce (especially perishables like fruits, vegetables, fish, meat) via air cargo to improve market access and reduce transit time.

  • Krishi Udan 1.0: Initial launch.

  • Krishi Udan 2.0 (Launched Oct 2021):

    • Special focus on North-Eastern states, hilly, and tribal areas where connectivity is poor.

    • Aims to connect several airports in these regions (mentioned 25 initially, potentially expanded).

  • Implementing Agencies: Ministry of Civil Aviation, supported by Airports Authority of India (AAI) and AAICLAS.

  • Benefit: Faster access to domestic and international markets, potentially higher prices for farmers, reduced wastage.

D. Crop Diversification

  • Need: Reduce over-reliance on water-intensive crops (paddy, sugarcane, wheat) and shift towards crops with better demand and resource use efficiency.

  • Rationale: Address issues like falling water tables, soil degradation, and market gluts for certain crops.

  • Promoted Crops: Oilseeds, Pulses, Millets (identified as having good demand).

  • Government Strategy:

    • Financial incentives to states (speaker mentioned 50-year interest-free loans - this specific detail might need verification).

    • Encouraging states to develop specific diversification plans.

    • Using schemes like RKVY in Green Revolution states (Punjab, Haryana, UP) to push diversification.

    • Promoting alternative crops in traditional tobacco-growing areas (AP, Bihar, Gujarat, etc.).

    • Ensuring MSP for diversified crops.

E. Drone Technology ('Kisan Drones')

  • Purpose: Application of drone technology for agricultural modernization.

  • Uses:

    • Spraying fertilizers and pesticides efficiently (precision agriculture).

    • Land mapping and surveying.

    • Crop surveillance and health monitoring.

  • Government Promotion: Part of the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM).

  • Financial Assistance/Subsidies:

    • 100% grant (up to ₹10 lakh): For ICAR institutes, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), State Agricultural Universities (SAUs).

    • Subsidies for Farmers/Groups:

      • 50% (up to ₹5 lakh): For SC/ST, Small & Marginal farmers, Women farmers, farmers of North-Eastern states.

      • 40% (up to ₹4 lakh): For other individual farmers.

    • Support for Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs).

  • Goal: Improve input efficiency, reduce costs, enhance farm productivity. Target to establish 15,000 drone centers mentioned.

F. Micro Irrigation Fund (MIF)

  • Context: Linked to Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) - 'Per Drop More Crop'.

  • Objective: Promote water use efficiency through drip and sprinkler irrigation.

  • Funding: Established with NABARD. Initial corpus ₹5000 Cr, later augmented to ₹10,000 Cr.

  • Mechanism: NABARD provides concessional loans (3% interest mentioned) to State Governments to subsidize and implement micro-irrigation systems.

  • Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.

  • Impact: Aims to bring more area under micro-irrigation. Significant fund allocation noted for states like Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, AP.

G. PM-AASHA (Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan)

  • Full Form: Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan.

  • Primary Goal: Ensure farmers receive remunerative prices for their produce, specifically aiming for MSP equivalent to at least 1.5 times the cost of production. Addresses distress sales below MSP.

  • Key Components (explained by speaker):

    • Price Support Scheme (PSS): Government agencies (FCI, NAFED etc.) physically procure crops at MSP if market prices fall.

    • Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS): Farmers are compensated for the difference between MSP and the lower market price, without physical procurement.

    • Private Procurement & Stockist Scheme (PPSS): Pilot basis for private sector participation in MSP operations.

  • Credit Guarantee Fund: A fund (mentioned ₹45,000 Cr) established to provide guarantees to banks, ensuring procurement agencies have funds to buy crops at MSP.

4. Agricultural Development Institutions

  • Brief mention of the importance of knowing key agricultural research and development institutions and their headquarters (examples like IIMR-Hyderabad, NRRI-Cuttack, IIWBR-Karnal were given).

5. Conclusion

  • These schemes represent recent efforts to address challenges and modernize Indian agriculture.

  • Preview of next topic: Discussion on the (now repealed) new Farm Laws.

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