18 December 2024 : PIB Summary For UPSC

1. Doubling the income of farmers

(Source – https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=2085183&reg=3&lang=1 )

Topic: GS3 – Agriculture

Context

The article discusses the Government of India’s efforts in the agricultural sector through various schemes aimed at increasing production and providing income support. It highlights the budgetary allocations, key programs, and initiatives like the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) to address infrastructure gaps. These efforts are designed to improve farmers’ livelihoods and sustainable agricultural practices.

Government Support for Agricultural Development

• Agriculture is a State Subject, but the Government of India supports state-level efforts through policy measures, budgetary allocation, and various schemes.
• These initiatives aim to increase crop production, ensure remunerative returns, and provide income support to farmers.

Key Strategies for Farmer Welfare

• To increase farmer incomes, strategies focus on improving crop productivity, reducing production costs, promoting agricultural diversification, adapting to climate change, and compensating for losses.
• These strategies are essential for sustainable agriculture and enhanced farmer livelihoods.

Budgetary Support

• The Government of India has significantly increased the budget for the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) from Rs. 21,933.50 crore in 2013-14 to Rs. 1,22,528.77 crore in 2024-25.

Major Schemes and Programs

• Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN): Financial support to farmers.
• Pradhan Mantri Kisan MaanDhan Yojana (PM-KMY): Pension scheme for farmers.
• Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY): Crop insurance for farmers.
• Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF): Financial support for agriculture infrastructure projects, including warehouses and cold storage units.
• Formation of Farmers Producers Organizations (FPOs): Promoting collective farming.
• Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH): Focus on horticulture development.
• Soil Health Card (SHC): Providing soil health monitoring to farmers.

Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF)

• Launched to address infrastructure gaps, AIF provides debt financing for post-harvest management and farming assets.
• The fund includes interest subvention and credit guarantees.
• Key projects funded include Custom Hiring Centres, primary processing units, sorting and grading units, and cold storage facilities.

Success Stories

• The Indian Council on Agricultural Research (ICAR) has documented success stories of 75,000 farmers who have doubled their incomes through the convergence of schemes operated by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.

PYQ: Given the vulnerability of Indian agriculture to vagaries of nature, discuss the need for crop insurance and bring out the salient features of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) (200 words/12.5m) (UPSC CSE (M) GS-3 2016)

Practice Question:  Examine the various initiatives launched by the Government of India to enhance farmer incomes and agricultural infrastructure. Analyze the role of the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund in transforming the agricultural sector. (250 Words /15 marks)