Government to invest ₹18,000 crore in 100 agri export clusters

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced that the Central government will invest Rs 18,000 crore to develop 100 agricultural export clusters. Additionally, the government plans to launch an oilseeds mission with an investment of Rs 6,800 crore to boost self-sufficiency in production. The central government is also working on 50,000 climate-friendly villages nationwide in order to create a system of agriculture that is resilient to climate change.

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced a plan to invest Rs 18,000 crore in building 100 export clusters for agriculture and Rs 6800 crore to push self-sufficiency in pulse production. He highlighted some problems the sector is facing, and he is willing to discuss all issues with the farmers and their associations.

“There are problems in agriculture, but solutions are also there. We will speak to farmers and farmer associations,” he said in response to a discussion in Rajya Sabha on the workings of the agriculture ministry and farmers’ welfare.

“We will resolve it through dialogue and will move forward, taking everyone along with us.” Chouhan also requested the political parties not to treat the farmers as a vote bank,” he further adds.

About the sector’s future, the minister stated that in addition to creating 1500 new seed varieties, the central government is working on 50,000 climate-friendly villages nationwide in order to create a system of agriculture that is resilient to climate change. He said that the government is developing a plan to provide farmers with their own digital identity.

AICC General Secretary Randeep Surjewala said at a media briefing, “The agriculture minister’s lie was caught red-handed because the Narendra Modi government gave an affidavit in the Supreme Court on February 6, 2015, saying that cost plus 50% cannot be given to the farmers because this will spoil the market.”

On the storage and warehousing front, he said the government was investing Rs 1.40 crore in modern post-harvest infrastructure, and there were plans to integrate another 1,500 mandis with the electronic National Agriculture Market (e-NaM) programme.