Namaskar ji,
For the past several days, I have been discussing different schemes of the government with the beneficiaries, because this is a better way to know how the benefits of the government schemes are reaching the people. This is the advantage of the direct connection with the people. All my colleagues from the Union Cabinet present in this program, respected Chief Ministers, Lieutenant Governors and Deputy Chief Ministers from many states, Ministers of State Governments, other dignitaries, farmers and brothers and sisters from across the country,
Today, an amount of more than 19,500 crore rupees has been transferred to the bank accounts of about 10 crore farmers of the country. I can see that many of you are checking in your mobile phones whether the amount has reached and giving high five to each other. In this rainy season when sowing is in full swing, this amount will be very useful to small farmers. Today the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund worth one lakh crore rupees has also completed one year. Thousands of farmer organizations are benefiting from this fund.
Brothers and sisters,
The Government is fully committed to encourage new crops and provide additional income to the farmers. Mission Honey Bee is one such campaign. Due to Mission Honey Bee, we exported honey worth about Rs 700 crore last year, which has ensured additional income to the farmers. The saffron of Jammu-Kashmir is world famous anyway. Now the Government has decided that saffron of Jammu- Kashmir will be available at NAFED shops across the country. This will give a lot of impetus to the cultivation of saffron in Jammu-Kashmir.
Brothers and sisters,
This exchange with you is happening at a time when we are celebrating the Amrit Mahotsav of freedom. August 15 is approaching a few days from now. This time the country is going to celebrate its 75th Independence Day. This is not only a matter of pride for us; it is also a great opportunity for new resolutions and goals.
On this occasion, we have to decide where we want to see India in the next 25 years. Our agriculture, our villages and our farmers have an important role in determining what will be the state of affairs of India when it completes 100 years of independence in 2047. There is a need to give direction to India's agriculture, which can face new challenges and take full advantage of new opportunities.
Brothers and sisters,
All of us are witness to the rapid changes taking place in this era, whether it is changes related to weather and nature, changes related to eating habits, or changes happening all over the world due to pandemics. We have also experienced this during the corona pandemic in the last one-and-a-half years. During this period, there has been a lot of awareness about the food habits in the country itself. The demand for coarse cereals, vegetables, fruits, spices and organic products is increasing rapidly. Therefore, Indian agriculture also has to transform according to these changing needs and demands. And I have always believed that the farmers of our country will definitely assimilate these changes.
Friends,
We have seen the potential of the farmers of India even during this pandemic. In the midst of record production, the government has also tried to mitigate the problems of the farmers. The government has made every effort and taken measures for agriculture and every sector related to it, from seeds and fertilizers, to taking the produce of the farmers to the markets and ensuring uninterrupted supply of urea. Our government did not let the burden of DAP, whose prices in the international market increased manifold due to corona, to fall on the farmers. The government immediately arranged Rs 12,000 crore in this regard.
Friends,
The government has made the biggest ever purchase from farmers at MSP, whether it was the Kharif or Rabi season. It resulted in the direct transfer of about 1.70 lakh crore rupees to the accounts of paddy farmers and about 85,000 crore rupees to the accounts of wheat farmers. Today India’s granaries are brimming because of this partnership between the farmers and the government. But friends, we have seen that self-sufficiency is not enough only in wheat, rice and sugar, we need to be self-sufficient in pulses and edible oil also. And the farmers of India have the capability to do it. I remember I had urged the farmers of the country to increase the production of pulses when there was a shortage of pulses a few years back. The farmers of the country accepted my request. As a result, the production of pulses in the country has increased by almost 50 percent in the last six years. What we did in pulses, or in the past with wheat and paddy, now we have to take the same resolution for the production of edible oil also. We have to work quickly to make our country self-sufficient in edible oil.
Brothers and sisters,
With the National Edible Oil Mission-Oil Palm, the country has taken a pledge for self-reliance in edible oil. When India is commemorating the Quit India Movement today, this resolve inspires us with new energy on this historic day. More than 11,000 crore rupees will be invested in the cooking oil ecosystem through this mission. The government will ensure that the farmers get all the facilities, from quality seeds to technology. Under this mission, the cultivation of our other traditional oilseed crops will also be expanded along with promoting the cultivation of palm oil.
Friends,
For the first time, India has reached among the top-10 countries of the world in terms of agricultural exports. The country has set new records of agricultural exports during the corona period itself. When India is being recognized as a major agricultural exporting country, it is not befitting of us to depend on imports for our edible oil needs. In this too, the share of imported palm oil is more than 55 percent. We need to change this situation. The farmers of the country should get thousands of crores that we spend to buy edible oil from abroad. There is huge potential for the cultivation of palm-oil in India. It can be promoted in the North East and Andaman-Nicobar Islands. These are the regions where palm cultivation can be done easily and palm oil can be produced.
Friends,
This mission of self-sufficiency in edible oil has many advantages. This will not only benefit the farmers, poor and middle class families will also get cheaper and good quality oil. Moreover, this mission will create employment on a large scale and give a boost to the food processing industry, especially fresh fruit bunch processing industries. The youth will get jobs from transport to food processing units in the states where palm-oil will be cultivated.
Brothers and sisters,
Small farmers of the country will get huge benefits from palm-oil cultivation. The production per hectare of palm-oil is much higher than other oilseed crops. Small farmers can earn big profits as it requires a very small piece of land.
Friends,
You know very well that more than 80 percent of the farmers of the country have land up to 2 hectares only. These small farmers have a big role to play in enriching the country's agriculture in the next 25 years. Therefore, these small farmers are now being given top priority in the agricultural policies of the country. With this spirit, a serious effort has been made in the last few years to provide facilities and security to small farmers. Under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, Rs 1.60 lakh crores have been given to the farmers. Out of this, about one lakh crore rupees have reached the small farmers only in the challenging period of Corona. Moreover, more than two crore Kisan Credit Cards have been issued during the Corona period, mostly to small farmers. Farmers have also taken loans worth thousands of crores rupees with these cards. Imagine the plight of small farmers had they not got this help during the biggest disaster of 100 years. They would be forced to wander for small needs.
Brothers and sisters,
Today the small farmers are reaping the major benefits from the agricultural or connectivity infrastructure that is being built, or the big food parks that are being set up. Today special Kisan Rails are running in the country. As a result, thousands of farmers have sold their produce at a higher cost in the big mandis of the country due to savings in transportation cost. Similarly, modern storage facilities are being created for small farmers under the Special Infrastructure Fund. More than 6,500 projects have been approved in the last year. Among those who have got these projects are farmers, farmers' societies and farmer producer associations, self-help groups and start-ups. Recently, the government has decided that the states in which we have government mandis can also get help from this fund. Our government mandis will be better, more robust and modern by utilizing this fund.
Brothers and sisters,
The endeavor is to empower small farmers, either through the infrastructure fund or through formation of 10,000 farmer producer unions, so that they have greater access to the markets and better bargain options. When hundreds of small farmers will integrate through FPOs, through the cooperative system, their strength will multiply hundred times. This will reduce the dependence of farmers on others, whether it is food processing or exports. They themselves will be free to sell their products directly in the foreign market. The farmers of the country will be able to move forward faster only if they are freed from the shackles. With this spirit, we have to fulfill resolutions for the next 25 years. We have to get involved in the mission of self-reliance in oilseeds from now on. Once again, my best wishes to all the beneficiaries of the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi. Thanks a lot!
