Cabinet likely to take major decision on agriculture sector today 

The Union Cabinet is likely to consider increase in allocation for agriculture sector on September 2, according to government sources. The Cabinet is also likely to approve subsuming several agriculture schemes, the sources said. 

As part of measures to enhance productivity and resilience in agriculture sector, the Union Budget 2024-25 had announced several measures, including Digital Public Infrastructure,  ‘atmanirbharta’ for oil seeds, large scale clusters for vegetable production and financial support for network of nucleus breeding centres for shrimp broodstocks. 

Buoyed by the success of the pilot project, the government, in partnership with the states, will facilitate the implementation of the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) in agriculture for coverage of farmers and their lands in three years. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the Budget for 2024-25, said that during this year digital crop survey for Kharif using the DPI will be taken up in 400 districts.  

She said the details of 6 crore farmers and their lands will be brought into the farmer and land registries. The FM Sitharaman added that the issuance of Jan Samarth based Kisan Credit Cards will be enabled in 5 states. 

The Union Budget 2024-25 announced a strategy being put in place to achieve ‘atmanirbharta’ for oil seeds such as mustard, groundnut, sesame, soybean, and sunflower, as announced in the interim Budget. 

The FM said that the government will promote farmer-producer organisations, cooperatives and start-ups for vegetable supply chains including for collection, storage and marketing. 

Productivity and resilience in agriculture is first among the nine priority areas announced in the Union Budget. The Budget 2024-25 had made a provision of Rs 1.52 lakh crore for agriculture and allied sector.