New Delhi, Dec 12 :
Under attack for not doing enough for the rural poor and farming community, the government on Thursday said adequate expenditures will be made under MGNREGA and this will help improve conditions of rural India and the agricultural sector as well. Replying to a general discussion on ‘Crop Loss and its Impact on farmers’ under Rule 193 in Lok Sabha, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the Central government has allocated Rs 60,000 crore under MGNREGA in 2019-20 budget and spending this amount would help geo-tapping and also help farmers. Under MGNREGA, he said, as many as 260 schemes are related to agriculture only. If 164 out of 260 schemes are developed fully, geo-tapping, transparency and uplift of farmers’ lives are possible, the Minister said. On onion crisis across the country, the Minister said during Rabi season, its production is the most 70 per cent while in Kharif and post Khraif, its production is 20 per cent and 10 per cent respectively. According to a report submitted to the government on November 30, 2019, there was around 8 lakh tonnes gap between its demand and supply. To deal with the challenge, the Government has banned its export and decided to import it from other countries. Mr Tomar said the Centre and state governments are concerned for sugarcane farmers as well. In 2019, the government has to pay Rs 81,626 crore of which Rs 71,471 crore were paid to farmers. In Uttar Pradesh, the state government has paid Rs 26,750 crore, he said. In reference to the M S Swaminathan report, the Minister said the government has decided to increase the MSP of Rabi and Kharif crops. Out of 201 recommendation, the government has accepted 200 suggestions. He said the Narendra Modi government has been working on ‘Mission Mode’ for doubling the farmers’ income.
It has also prepared a road map for increasing the production of pulses and oil seeds.
The production in 2009-2014, he said, was 248.81 million tonnes while it increased to 269.72 million tonnes in 2014-18 — up by 8.40 per cent.
“Agriculture is the backbone of our country and we should work to make it stronger. For the purpose, Rs 1.31 lakh crore was allocated for agriculture in 2019,” he added.
During debate, Congress floor leader Ahir Ranjan Chowdhury has blamed the government policies for reduction in agri production in 2019.
