New Delhi, Mar 6: Pushing for a paradigm shift in the agriculture sector, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said this year’s Union Budget provides a strong push for rural transformation and stressed the need to make Indian farming export-oriented by leveraging technology and meeting global quality standards.
Addressing the third post-Budget webinar on ‘Agriculture and Rural Transformation’, the Prime Minister asserted that agriculture remains the mainstay of the Indian economy and a strategic pillar for the nation’s long-term development journey.
“This year’s Union Budget gives a strong push to agriculture and rural transformation,” Modi said, emphasising that while stakeholders contributed during the budget formulation, the focus now must be on implementation to reap the full potential.
The Prime Minister highlighted the shifting global demand and urged stakeholders to capitalise on India’s diverse climate to boost productivity and export strength. “In this webinar, it is essential to have maximum discussion on making our farming export-oriented,” he remarked.
Detailing the government’s track record, Modi noted that under the ‘PM Kisan Samman Nidhi’, over Rs 4 lakh crore has been transferred to 10 crore farmers. He added that nearly Rs 2 lakh crore in claims have been settled under the ‘PM Fasal Bima Yojana’, while institutional credit coverage for the sector has expanded to over 75 per cent.
Focusing on high-value and region-specific agriculture, the Prime Minister pointed to budget proposals for the promotion of crops like cocoa, cashew, and sandalwood. He specifically mentioned initiatives for Agarwood in the North East and temperate nut crops in the Himalayan states, asserting that such steps would generate rural employment through processing and value addition.
“If we scale high-value agriculture together, it will transform agriculture into a globally competitive sector,” Modi asserted, calling for a unified approach among experts, industry, and farmers to meet global branding and quality standards.
On allied sectors, the Prime Minister noted that India is the world’s second-largest fish producer and stressed the potential to add another 20 lakh tonnes from reservoirs. He described fisheries as a “major platform for export growth” and called for new business models in hatcheries, feed, and logistics to harness the Blue Economy.
Highlighting India’s status as the largest milk producer and second-largest egg producer globally, Modi emphasised the need for focus on breeding quality, disease prevention, and scientific management of livestock. He linked this to the ‘One Earth, One Health’ vision, noting that more than 125 crore doses have already been administered to protect animals from Foot and Mouth Disease.
The Prime Minister extensively pitched for integrating a “technology culture” in agriculture, citing the role of e-NAM, digital land surveys, and the creation of Kisan IDs. “Technology delivers results when systems adopt it, institutions integrate it, and entrepreneurs build innovations on it,” he said, calling for suggestions on merging technology with traditional systems.
Reiterating the government’s commitment to rural prosperity, Modi cited schemes like PM Awas Yojana and PM Gram Sadak Yojana. On women empowerment, he set a target to create 3 crore more ‘Lakhpati Didis’ by 2029 and sought ideas to achieve the goal faster.
Concluding his address, the Prime Minister urged entrepreneurs to increase investment in agri-fintech and supply chains, expressing confidence that the deliberations would provide “new energy to the rural economy” and fast-track the implementation of budget provisions on the ground. (KNS)
