Atmanirbhar Bharat Part-3

Today, 15th May 2020, FM Nirmala Sitharaman announced India Mega Economic Package (Atmanirbhar Bharat Part-3). Beneficiaries Covered in this Incentives are farmers

Eight measure for strengthening Infrastructure, Logistics and Capacity Building

• To fill the gaps in value chains, a financing facility of Rs 1 Lac Crore of funds will be created immediately for investment in long term agriculture infrastructure. Funding shall be provided through farm gates & aggregation points.

• Unorganized Micro Food Enterprises shall be supported with a Rs 10k scheme for up-gradation to attain FSSAI food standards, brand building, and marketing. This measure will improve health and safety standards and will also help in aligning with the retail market and reaching the untapped Export market.

• To fill in the critical gaps in the fisheries value chain, the government will launch the PMMSY for integrated, sustainable, inclusive development of marine and inland fisheries. And Rs 11k Crore is proposed to be spent on activities in Marine, Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture and 9k Crore shall be spent on infrastructure.

• Vaccination program under National Animal Disease Control Programme for Foot and Mouth disease (FMD) and Brucellosis shall be extended to ensure 100% vaccination of cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat, and pig population.

• A Rs 15k Crore fund shall be set up for the support of Private Investment in dairy processing, value addition, and cattle feed infrastructure.

• An outlay of Rs 4000 Crore has proposed for the Herbal Cultivation over 10 Lac Hectare Area.

• Rs 500 Crore is proposed to be spent on the development of the Beekeeping infrastructure. Such infrastructural development shall include development related to Integrated Beekeeping Development Centre, Collection, Marketing, and Storage Centre, Post-Harvest & value Addition facilities, etc;

• Rs 500 Crore shall be spent on managing the produce of farmers for the avoidance of distressed sale and reduction of the price of perishable fruits and vegetables at the farm. Also, Operation Green shall be extended from Tomatoes, Onion & Potato (TOP) to all fruits and vegetables. And the scheme shall also feature a 50% subsidy on transportation from surplus to Deficient Market & on storages (including Cold Storages).

Three governance and administrative Reforms

• Amendment has been proposed to be made to the Essential Commodities Act to enable better price realization for farmers.

• Currently, farmers are bound to sell agricultural produce only to Licensees in APMCs. This restriction is proposed to be changed by the formulation of a central law so that adequate choices is given to farmers to sell theirs produces at attractive prices. And it shall also remove the barrier to interstate trade & shall give a framework for e-trading of agricultural produce.

• Facilitative Legal Framework shall be created to enable farmers for engaging with processors, aggregators, large retailers, exporters, etc. in a fair and transparent manner. Also, such a framework shall ensure Risk Mitigation for farmers, assured returns, and quality standardization.