Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (file photo)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched two major schemes worth Rs 35,440 crore for the agriculture sector. These include a pulses mission to reduce dependence on imports. This program was organized on the occasion of the birth anniversary of socialist leader Jayaprakash Narayan. He also inaugurated projects worth more than Rs 5,450 crore in agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries and food processing sectors. Also laid the foundation stone of other projects worth about Rs 815 crore.
Rs 11,440 crore will be spent for the ‘Pulses Self-Reliance Mission’ and it aims to increase pulses production from the current 252.38 lakh tonnes to 350 lakh tonnes by crop year 2030-31 and reduce the country’s import dependence.
Apart from this, the purpose of ‘Pradhan Mantri Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana’ of Rs 24,000 crore is to rejuvenate 100 low performing agricultural districts. The scheme will focus on increasing productivity, promoting crop diversification, improving irrigation and storage and providing easy credit in selected 100 districts. Both the schemes have already received Cabinet approval and will run from the upcoming Rabi session till 2030-31.
These are also included
The projects inaugurated by the Prime Minister include Artificial Insemination Training Centers in Bengaluru and Jammu and Kashmir, Centers of Excellence in Amreli and Banas, an IVF laboratory in Assam under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission, milk powder plants in Mehsana, Indore and Bhilwara and a fish feed plant under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana in Tezpur.
During the program, Modi also gave certificates to farmers certified under the National Natural Farming Mission, Maitri Technicians and Primary Agricultural Cooperative Credit Societies (PACS) converted into Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samridhi Kendras (PMKSK) and Common Service Centers (CSCs). The event marked significant achievements made under government initiatives, including 50 lakh farmer membership in 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs). PM Modi also interacted with farmers engaged in pulses cultivation who have benefited from various government schemes to establish value chains in agriculture, animal husbandry and fisheries. Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairy Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh and Minister of State for Agriculture Bhagirath Chaudhary were present in this program.