Resolution on Agriculture

Bharatiya Janata Party

National Council Meeting, New Delhi

11^th-12^th January2019

 

RESOLUTION ON AGRICULTURE 

 

PROPERLY FARMER- PROSPEROUS INDIA

 

This National Council of the Bharatiya Janata Party congratulates our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in whose leadership the central government has worked enormously for the betterment of the farmers and the agriculture sector of the country in last four and half years. It is the result of these fine and successful agricultural policies of the BJP-led Central Government that the sector has not only improved in last few years but positive changes could be seen in the lives of the farmers of the country. The BJP government has thoughtfully discussed ways and taken policy decisions and initiative to increase the income of farmers of the country and for the development and prosperity of agriculture sector. To achieve the goals of development in agriculture the government has fruitfully worked towards soil health cards, facilities for micro irrigation, facilitating three crops per year, better irrigation in less water use and modern techniques in agriculture. The BJP led State government have now, and earlier also, made the 4% agriculture loan internet free in the economic interests of the farmers. They have also taken significant steps of simplifying procurement procedures in the economic interest of farmers.

In 2014 when the BJP government was formed in the Centre in leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, farmers of the country were already fighting for their basic demand of better farm produce prices, non availability of fertilizers and good seeds, issues of non payment of procured produce, and lack of any transparent policy for the agriculture sector. As soon as the Central Government was formed in the leadership of Shri Narendra Modi, it started working to identify and resolve problems and issues in the agriculture sector of the country at the policy level. This Government made farmer and agriculture as its priority and started taking scientific and pragmatic steps towards solving issues of the sector. These multidimensional steps taken by the Central Government helped to improve the situation of the farmers in the country. The food grain production in the country has increased manifolds even after many adverse situations in the recent times. This government has taken positive and firm steps to strengthen financial security of the farmers of the country in case of natural disasters. The farmers of this country are now free from the unavailability of fertilizers and seeds under this government. This government has also met the demand of increase in the minimum support price of the farm produce, which was pending for many years. Budget allocation for the agriculture sector has also increased in recent years and this Government is fast reaching towards the goal of ‘doubling the farm-income’. This National Council expresses its confidence that the aim of ‘doubling the farm-income’ would be achieved in given time period under the BJP Government.

This government in the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has been able to generate a confidence among the people that a pro-farmer government is working in the country, whose priority is the ‘annadata’. This National Council congratulates the Prime Minister and the Central Government again for it’s pro-farmer policies and strengthening the agriculture sector of the country.

If the changes occurred in recent years in the agricultural sector of the Country, the list is going to be very long. The Country has achieved many landmarks in the change and betterment in the agriculture sector in recent years. Today, at this National Council Meet, when we are discussing different dimensions of the agriculture sector in the country, the achievements of this Government needs to be highlighted.

INCREASE IN MSP: RIGHT PRICE - PROSPEROUS FARMER

The discussion on right price of the farm produce to farmers has been going on for a very long time. The Swaminathan Commission, at the time of the UPA government also made its recommendations in this regard but the last Congress government was sitting idle and quiet on this significant issue of the welfare of the farmers of our Country. But this pro-farmer government of the BJP took steps to implement this long pending demand and took a decision to increase the MSP to 1.5 times more than the input cost. This Government proved that it will not leave anything for the betterment and welfare of the farmers by taking a decision of increasing the minimum support price of Rabi and Kharif crops. This National Council congratulates the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Central Government for implementing this long pending decision. This decision of the Government is helping farmers to get almost 50% more profit on their produce. On crops like Bajra and Udad, this profit has increased in the range of 65% to 96%.

BUDGET ALLOCATION STRENGTHENING THE AGRICULTURAL BASE

This government under the leadership of Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi has consistently shown its willingness towards increasing the budget allocation for the agriculture sector to strengthen the base of the agricultural system in the country and to bring it out from the poor state it has been suffering for long time. People have been seeking a great economic management for this simple effort for a long time. The Modi government not only took this challenge very seriously but also implemented its solution successfully. It is the result of these efforts that the agriculture budget in the country has increased enormously in last four and half years. The Government has relatively increased allocation under the agriculture sector in recent budgets under the following heads.

BUDGET ALLOCATION: The Modi government has increased the budget allocation in last 5 years from Rs. 1,21,082 crores between 2009-14 to Rs. 2,11,694 crores between 2014-19. This comparison proves that the Modi government has increased the budget allocation significantly to resolve issues of agriculture sector in the Country.

DISASTER RELIEF:In the case of natural disasters, the agricultural sector has got Rs. 32,208 crore rupees in last four and half years from the National Disaster Relief Fund which is 2.5 times higher than the last Government’s. The amount allocated under the SDRF, the allocations made to States is also 82% more than the last Government’s total allocation in the same head.

CONSOLIDATED FUND FOR THE AGRICULTURE SECTOR : The Central Government under the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has underlined the multi-area needs of the agriculture sector in its policies. For this consolidated funds are allocated under different heads. The Government has allocated Rs. 5,000 crores for micro irrigation fund, Rs. 10,881 crores for food processing, Rs. 40,000 crores under the long term irrigation fund,Rs. 2000 crores under the agricultural development infrastructure development fund. Rs. 7,550 crores for fisheries and Aquarian Sciences development and Rs. 2,450 crores for development of animal husbandry infrastructure in the last years.

CHANGE THROUGH POLICY ORIENTED SCHEMES

Agriculture related policies and schemes of the BJP-led Central Government reflects a commitment towards the resolution of these long-term issues and problems in the agriculture sector. The Modi government has identified problems and found policy level solutions within given time frame. The government has been successful in making these schemes and testing their pragmatic aspect along with implementation. Some of the important works in this regard are the development of organic agriculture, establishment of laboratories for soil health, establishing and consolidating irrigation facilities and extension of cover areas under different schemes.

WATER TO EVERY FIELD:This government led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has started and implemented the ‘per drop - more crop’ scheme under the Prime Minister Agriculture Irrigation Scheme across the Country. This scheme has given new dimension to the micro irrigation systems in the country. The Modi government has allocated more resources and money to this scheme to the extent of 16.21% more in the tune of Rs. 5,460 crore. Where as with the aim of increasing the large irrigation area Rs. 40,000 crore were given under the NABARD, which will be effective to irrigate 76.03 lakh hectares of the land.

ECONOMIC SECURITY OF THE FARMERS: As soon as the Modi government came into power, it identified many gaps in policies related to financial security of farmers in case of natural disasters or through the agriculture insurance. For the Modi government, the farmer of this country is on the top of its list of priorities. This is the reason that under the leadership of the Modi ji, the premium on the Prime Minister Crop Insurance Scheme was reduced for the convenience of the farmers looking at their situation. Also the cover under this scheme was extended to a great extent. The pro-farmer Modi government has worked without any biases and with full commitment to extend this scheme to extend it to each and every state of the country, so that the common farmer gets the benefit of this scheme. In its last year of the Government in 2013-14, the Congress-led UPA government spent Rs. 2,151 crores on the Crop Insurance Scheme which has increased now to the tune of Rs. 13,000 crore with an increase of six times under the Modi-led NDA government along with extension of total land coverage under this. Before the new crop insurance scheme, farmers were getting claims only with minimum 50% damage to their crops in case of natural calamities under the disaster management where as now, even if there is 33% damage to crops, they are being given claims under the insurance. Before year 2014, the number of insured loaned farmers and non-loaned farmers was 29 lakh and 6.37 crores respectively; which after the coming of the BJP-led NDA government has increased to 2.75 crores and 8.16 crore respectively. Earlier farmers were getting Rs. 4,718 under the scheme which has now increased to Rs.5,400. In 2017-18, the Government paid four times more than the total premium collected from farmers under the claims of this is scheme. Today 10.78 crore hectares land of the country has come under the insured area. The BJP government led by Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi, has done all this.

ENCOURAGING SCIENTIFIC ATTITUDE AND MECHANIZATION: Sh. Narendra Modi led BJP government has encouraged mechanization and soil identification techniques to make the agriculture sector more prosperous and productive for the farmer of the country. The budget allocation for soil health cards was increased 12 times, the budget allocation for mechanization of agriculture was increased to Rs. 1165 crore in comparison of just Rs. 58 crore in the UPA government. Total of 17.53 crore Soil Health Card have been distributed till now which are helping farmers to decide right fertilisers for their fields. Neem coating of Urea has curbed the black-marketing of Urea in the market. All this work done by the Modi-led NDA government is a proof that the government has been sincere about the agricultural sector.

INCREASE IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION

The effect and result of multidimensional and multi area efforts in the agricultural sector are reflected in the increase productivity of food grains in the country. The figures in the agricultural productivity are proof of the agriculture development and pro-farmer works and policies of the BJP-led Central Government.

FOOD GRAIN PRODUCTION: If you look at from a comparative perspective the food grain production has increased 11.4% more in 2017-18 from the average of 2010-15. The food grain production was 284.83 million tons during this period. These figures are very encouraging and reflect on the good intention and deeds of the Modi-government.

HORTICULTURE AND PULSES:  According to the third advance estimate for the Year 2017-18 the production in the Horticulture sector is going to be 306.82 millions. If we look at it from a comparative perspective from the 2010-15, there is a 17.55% increase in the said period. Where as, the relative increase in the production of pulses in 2017-18, has been registered as 40.09 percent.

MILK AND FISHERIES PRODUCTION: The production capacity has increased because of the efforts of the Government in the dairy and fisheries production. The annual growth in milk production between 2014-18 was registered at 49%.The income of farmers related to dairy industry has increased 30.5% between 2014-18 and the per capita milk availability has also increased 22.5% in 2017-18. The production in fisheries sector, in the last financial year has recorded 42.22% growth. The efforts made by the government to encourage fisheries industry has resulted in India's capacity of exporting fish products and fishes to the tune of 180% in recent years.

REFORMS IN THE PROCUREMENT PROCEDURE

There has been unprecedented increase in the purchase of farm produce under the price support scheme of the government because of its transparent and pro-farmer perspective. If we look from comparative perspective 7.24 lakh metric ton pulses and grains were procured between 2010-14; where as under the BJP-led government 78.6 15 lakh metric ton food grain and pulses were procured between till December 2018 by the government, These figures are almost 11 times more than the total procurement under the last UPA government. Under the last UPA government, a total of Rs. 300 crore was allocated for this procurement where as by the BJP-led government, within it’s first two years, 15,000 crore rupees was allocated. Procurement of cotton also increased to 325% under this government. The farmers of the country were not getting right prices for their produce. To resolve this issues, this government formed E-National Agriculture Market (E-NAM) to connect all 585 agriculture markets in the country on one platform. This online agriculture platform has 1.41 crore registered buyers and sellers; and 2.25 crore tons of agriculture produce worth Rs. 58.930 crore has been marketed through this.

POLICY CHANGES IN FAVOUR OF FARMERS IN AGRICULTURE TRADE

To decrease the dependency on agricultural imports in the country and to secure the interest of the farmers of the country, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi led BJP government made major policy changes. Import duty on wheat was increased to 20% and on tuar pulse to 10%. Import duties on some other agricultural producers were also implemented to make the country self-reliant and helpful for the farmers. Some quantitative limits were also set on some farm produces.

EXTENSION OF AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION

The BJP LED Central government has made some structural changes for the development of agricultural education in the country and made efforts for its extension across different sections and regions of the country. The Modi-government has increased budget allocation under agricultural education to more than 55% in 2018-19 from 2013-14. A total of 1100 crore rupees was spent on National Agricultural Higher Education Scheme and four new degree courses were also started.

THE AIM OF DOUBLING THE FARM-INCOME

Sh. Narendra Modi led Central Government has successfully worked on the issues of increasing the income of farmers, to encourage and make agriculture attractive, to secure financial and economic interest of farmers, to raise awareness, to increase the productivity and consumption of agriculture produce. The BJP led government want to make the farmer of the country strong and prosperous. The government is committed and working with full dedication to reach the aim of doubling the farm-income within the given time period. All that is mentioned above in brief, are the ways to reach this goal. 

Today when Minister Shri Narendra Modi led government has completed four and half years, and we look at these achievements, we firmly believe the ‘New India’ which we are trying to create, we will not just be able to reach the goal doubling the farm-income but would be looking forward from there. We have witnessed a government which is a pro-farmer, which recognizes farmer’s issues and bring their solutions and implement them successfully.

This National Council, in its full confidence, praises the BJP government led by our Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi for being pro-farmer and implementing pro-farmer policies. This National Council has full confidence that in 2019 we will once again bring Prime Minister Sh Narendra Minister to the government with full majority. We will keep this development of agriculture continue for a longer duration to realize the ‘New India’ we have been thinking and working towards.  We also take this ‘sankalp’ that in 2022, the ‘New India’, which we are conceptualizing, will have an independent, able, strong and prosperous farmer as our ‘annadata’, who will also be a significant vehicle to take Country’s economy to new heights.