Private Investment in Agriculture Will Help Farmers: PM Modi
The Prime Minister said the Kisan Rail project serves as a proof of how fast our farmers are ready for new possibilities.
The Prime Minister (PM) of India Narendra Modi flagged off the 100th Kisan Rail from Sangola in Maharashtra to Shalimar in West Bengal on Monday (December 28) via video conferencing. Union Ministers, Narendra Singh Tomar and Piyush Goyal were also present on the occasion.
PM Modi termed the Kisan Rail Service as a major step towards increasing the income of farmers and said that even during the coronavirus pandemic, 100 Kisan Rails were launched in the past 4 months.
He said this service will bring a major change in the economy related to farming and will also increase the strength of the country’s cold supply chain. He added no minimum quantity has been fixed to transport through Kisan Rail so that even the smallest produce will be able to reach the big market properly at a low price.
The Prime Minister said the Kisan Rail project serves as a proof of how fast our farmers are ready for new possibilities, adding that farmers can now sell their crops in other states as well, in which farmers’ rail (Kisan Rail) and agriculture flights (Krishi Udaan) have a big role.
He said that Kisan Rail is a mobile cold storage to move perishable things like fruits, vegetables, milk, fish, etc., with complete security. “India always had a large railway network, even before independence. Cold storage technology was also available. Only now this strength is being harnessed properly through Kisan Rail,” the Prime Minister said.
|
Rural Resistance: Protests by Farmers Raman Media Network (RMN) Company – which is working in diversified content creation, management, and distribution businesses on a global scale – has launched “Rural Resistance: Protests by Farmers” editorial section. This section under the RMN news service has been created to cover the agricultural reforms and ongoing farmers’ protests in India. It will carry news, views, and related developments and invites farmers as well as farming experts to share their views which will be published on the site. You can click here to visit the section. |
He informed that perishable rail cargo centres are being constructed in the vicinity of railway stations where farmers can store their produce. The effort is to supply as much fruits and vegetables as possible to the household. Extra produce should reach the entrepreneurs engaged in production of juice, pickle, sauce, chips, etc.
Meanwhile, a new digital booklet explains how the Modi government is planning to introduce agricultural reforms that can benefit Indian farmers and other stakeholders in the agriculture sector. “Our policy interventions are aimed at helping farmers at every step – Beej Se Bazaar Tak (from seeds to the market),” Modi said in his opening remarks in the booklet.
The Prime Minister remarked that the Government’s priority is focused on storage-linked infrastructure and processing industries associated with value addition in farming products. He said about 6,500 such projects have been approved under Mega Food Parks, Cold Chain Infrastructure, and Agro Processing Cluster, under the PM Krishi Sampada Yojana. And Rs. 10,000 crore (approximately US$ 1.3 billion) have been sanctioned for micro food processing industries under AatmaNirbhar Abhiyan package.
PM Modi said that it is the participation and support of the rural people, farmers, and youth that makes the government’s efforts successful. Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and cooperative groups like women Self Help Groups get priority in agri-business and agri-infrastructure.
He said that the recent reforms will lead to expansion of agri business and these groups will be the biggest beneficiaries, adding that private investment in agriculture will support the government’s effort to help these groups.
In order to privatize the agricultural sector, the Modi government has introduced new farm laws. However, farmers in India are protesting against these laws, as they believe that the new laws will deprive them of their farming rights and private players will grab their farms.
