The vote share of BJP saw a dip of 0.2% in semi-urban areas and 4.5% in rural areas. This significant shift in vote share has caused the government to review its plans and come up with increased allocations for the rural sector.
To regain the trust of the rural people, the Budget 2024 has some welfare schemes and other incentives to boost development in semi-urban and rural areas.
Budget Allocation for the Agriculture Sector
In the 2024-25 Budget, Nirmala Sitharaman, the Finance minister announced climate-resilient varieties of 32 cultivation and field crops and 109 varieties of high-yielding crops will be released in this financial year for farmers.
The government will embark on a comprehensive review of agricultural research to develop natural and climate-resilient seeds in 2024-25. Also, the Finance minister allocated Rs. 1.52 lakh crore for agriculture and its allied sectors.
The Budget has set out 9 priorities for the financial year 2024-25 including resilience and productivity in agriculture.
In the next two years, the government will employ one crore farmers in natural farming and approximately Rs. 2.66 lakh crore will be allocated for rural development, stated Nirmala Sitharaman.
Further, the Budget 2024-25, will be identifying the potential of aquaculture and also offer financial support for developing a web of shrimp broodstocks nucleus breeding centers.
The agriculture sector will also see a new national cooperation policy to ensure orderly and systematic development of the agriculture and allied sectors.
Sitharam in her seventh consecutive Budget declaration drafted initiatives focusing on increased production, sustainable practices, and digital infrastructure.
Shift towards Sustainable, Natural Farming
Sustainable farming objectives include reducing reliance on pesticides and chemical fertilizers while encouraging methods that are natural, clean, or organic. By reducing the cost of farming operations, thereby increasing the earnings of farmers, it boosts the quality of soil and promotes diversity in the environment.
The Government also plans to encourage large-scale production of vegetables in the financial year 2024-25. To achieve this, they will be put up at specific points across the country to facilitate large-scale vegetable production and ensure constant supply throughout the year.
Digital Farming and Climate-resilient Crops
The government shall carry out an all-encompassing examination of agriculture research and concentrate on producing climate-adaptable varieties in farming, said Sitharaman. She also stated that farmers will have access to 109 high-yielding, new climate-resilient varieties.
In addition, ten thousand need-driven bio-input centers would be set up to enhance the production, marketing, and storage of oilseeds. During FY25, four hundred districts will be surveyed through a digital crop system for Kharif. Jan Samarth-based Kisan Credit Cards will be issued in five states. It was further revealed that NABARD would provide funding for shrimp processing, farming, and export.
Conclusion
Agriculture is one of the priority areas in the Budget 2024-25 and it’s all about natural and digital farming practices. Strengthening supply chains and releasing new high-yielding crop varieties will result in the overall welfare of farmers and the agricultural sector
