Cabinet approves ₹14,000 crore for 7 major schemes in agricultural sector

In an attempt to boost India’s agricultural sector, the Union Cabinet, on Monday, approved seven major schemes with a combined investment of ₹13,966 crore.

This announcement comes a week after Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw revealed the approval of 12 industrial smart cities across 10 States worth ₹28,602 crore.

The decision consolidates all government activities related to the farm sector and rural economy into seven schemes.

These include: adoption of digital technology, food and nutritional security, agricultural research, livestock management, horticulture, soil health management, and agricultural extension through Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs).

Briefing the media after the Cabinet meeting, Vaishnaw said that these comprehensive programs are designed to boost farmers’ income. While some new initiatives may be announced under these seven broad categories in the coming days, the government announced ₹2,817-crore digital agriculture mission on Monday.

A total of ₹3,979 crore has been allotted for crop science to ensure food and nutritional security, ₹2,291 crore for strengthening agricultural education, management and social sciences, ₹1,702 crore for sustainable livestock health and production, ₹1,129 crore for sustainable development of horticulture, ₹1,202 crore for strengthening Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), and ₹1,115-crore for natural resource management.

The entire allotted amount will be spent by 2025-26, an agriculture ministry official said.

The minister also said that all these schemes will help farmers with climate-resilient crop sciences and food security by 2047.

Additionally, the funds will be used to modernise agri-research and education in line with the New Education Policy 2020.

The use of latest technology like Digital DPI, Al, big data, remote, will be promoted and the programme includes natural farming and climate resilience, an official statement said.

Under the livestock scheme, the focus will be on animal health management and veterinary education, dairy production and technology development, animal genetic resource management, production and improvement, as well as animal nutrition and small ruminant production and development, the statement said.

“With a total outlay ₹1,129.30 crore the measure is aimed at increasing farmers’ income from horticulture,” the government said.

The programme promotes tropical, sub-tropical and temperate horticulture crops: root, tuber, bulbous and arid crops, vegetable, floriculture, mushroom, plantation, spices, medicinal and aromatic plants.

Sources in the agriculture ministry indicated that, in line with the self-sustainable objective, the government will soon release the National Oilseeds Mission, which was previously announced by Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Parliament.

The focus on KVKs has intensified since Chouhan became minister. He has emphasized that senior-level agriculture scientists from ICAR should visit and stay at least once a month at each KVK to assess the situation. The funds allocated for KVKs are expected to be used to enhance basic infrastructure where it is lacking, sources said.