Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced measures for the agriculture and allied activities.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced measures for the agriculture and allied activities

The government has also announced a major export push to take Kesar, chilies, saffron, and other famous Indian food product to the globe.

After announcing relief for some of India’s poorer sections of the society including migrant workers, street vendors, and small farmers, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced measures for the agriculture and allied activities such as dairy, animal husbandry, and fisheries as the government looks to strengthen agriculture sector. “Indian farmers have always ensured that despite their smallholding, they will give high yields,” she said. During the lockdown, the government also took some steps to help India’s dairy co-operatives and procured large amounts from milk farmers. Among major announcements of today, the government has said that it will improve India’s farm infrastructure, and will take India’s turmeric, chillies, makhana and Kesar (saffron) across the seven seas. “The government will provide Rs 10,000 crore for food enterprises which are micro in size. This will be a cluster-based approach, with which, local value-added products can reach global markets,” Finance Minister said. Further, the government has introduced TOP to the TOTAL scheme to repair broken supply chains. “This scheme will have 50% subsidy on transportation from surplus to deficient markets; 50% subsidy on storage, including cold storages,” FM said. Agriculture provides employment to nearly 60% of India’s population and earlier in his nationwide address, PM Modi had said that Rs 20 lakh crore package will also focus on India’s farmers who work during every circumstance. 

The FM's alleviation measures follow Prime Minister Narendra Modi's previous declaration that the administration is chipping away at a Rs 20 lakh crore bundle to help different areas of the general public tide over the coronavirus emergency.