The government is working on policy changes to make agriculture simpler, according to Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. He mentioned that future plans might include providing subsidies for fertilisers, seeds, and farming equipment through direct benefit transfer (DBT). The minister also mentioned the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, which costs about Rs 60,000 crore. If fertiliser subsidies are given through DBT, farmers’ bank balances could increase significantly.
Agricultural produce is cheap, but it becomes expensive by the time it reaches cities. Chouhan noted that agricultural produce is inexpensive at the source but becomes costly by the time it reaches urban areas. The government is considering ways to reduce this price gap for consumers. One idea is for the Centre and states to share transportation expenses. The minister also informed farmers about other government schemes, like the PM Awas Yojna, survey for which is underway.
Presentation -Dibyabharati Nayak