Eye on 2019 LS polls: Govt's budget to be more farmer-centric
23 Dec 2017 11:45 PM IST
NEW DELHI: With the Gujarat poll verdict indicating farm distress had put the ruling BJP on a weak wicket in rural areas, the government's next budget is likely to be more farmer-centric focussing on getting them remunerative prices through market reforms and supporting them through robust credit facilities and by increasing the crop insurance footprint.
Since agrarian crisis will be one of the key issues in the assembly polls in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan next year and the general election in 2019, the upcoming budget will provide the government an opportunity to announce its intent.
"We had a good crop year in 2016-17, but farmers had to face problem in getting remunerative prices of their produce. This is something which we need to address and the budget is likely to focus on this aspect", said a senior official who has been part of a team to extend agriculture ministry's input for budget to the finance ministry.
The Centre has already taken several measures to address the issue but will now attempt to strengthen it by taking actions like devising more systematic procurement method and expanding the network of e-NAM (e-National Agriculture Market) from 585 in 2018 to over 1,000 by 2020. The idea will be to bring more and more regulated market on e-NAM platform so that the farmers can get better price of their produce without being exploited by commission agents and cartel of traders. "The NITI Aayog and the Prime Minister's economic advisory council too are working on it. Though agriculture is the subject where the states have to be on board for success of many schemes, the government's focus in the budget is likely to be on allocating more fund for centrally-sponsored schemes", said the official.
The funds for expanding e-NAM's footprints, cold chain, irrigation infrastructure, micro-irrigation and crop insurance scheme are expected to be increased.
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