Indian farmers have not only made the nation self-dependent but also capable to explore food grains.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that the Union Budget 2023-2024, like the previous 8-9 years, is focused on the agricultural sector and steps are being taken in mission mode to achieve full self-sufficiency in edible oils.
During a post-budget webinar with stakeholders from the agricultural and cooperative sectors, the Prime Minister announced that the agriculture budget in 2014 was less than Rs 25,000 crore and has now reached over Rs 1.25 lakh crore.
“Every Budget in recent years has been called a budget for Gaon, Gareeb, and Kisan, “Modi added.
The Prime Minister noted that India’s agricultural sector has long struggled since independence, noting that the country’s food security depends on the outside world.
He highlighted how Indian farmers are changing this not only by making the country “atmanirbhar” (self-sufficient) but also by being able to export food. “Today India exports a wide range of agricultural products,” Prime Minister Modi said.
He also said India’s focus should not be limited to rice or wheat in terms of self-sufficiency or exports. The Prime Minister highlighted imports in the agricultural sector, citing as examples Rs 17,000 crore for pulses for 2021-22, Rs 25,000 crore for value-added food imports, and Rs 1,500 crore for edible oils 2021-22.
He said that the total import of all agricultural products was about Rs 2 lakh crore. The Prime Minister pointed out that various decisions are constantly taken in the budget to boost the agricultural sector so that the country becomes an “atmanirbhar” and the money spent on imports can benefit our farmers.
He cites examples of increasing MSP, promoting pulse production, increasing the number of food processing parks, and working in mission mode to become fully self-sufficient in cooking oil.
Announcing the launch of an accelerator fund for tech start-ups, the Prime Minister said the government is not only creating digital infrastructure but also preparing access to finance. It encourages young people and young entrepreneurs to persevere and achieve their goals. Prime Minister Modi noted that there are more than 3,000 agricultural start-ups in India today, compared to almost none 9 years ago.
This is the second webinar with a speech from the Prime Minister. On Thursday, he spoke at length on the theme of green growth. In total, he is expected to speak at 12 post-budget webinars through March 11, 2023. The webinars are organized by ministries/departments based on the “Saptarishi” priorities outlined in the Union Budget 2023-2024. Execution of budget announcements.
