Kisan Drones, chemical-free natural farming, and public-private partnerships for the delivery of digital and high-tech services to farmers across the country will be encouraged during the fiscal year 2022-23, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said while presenting the Union Budget 2022 on Tuesday.

She stated that inclusive development is one of the government’s four goals going ahead.

The use of Kisan Drones for crop evaluation as part of inclusive development will be promoted and assessment of insecticides being sprayed will be undertaken. Further, land records are in the process of being digitised.

She also stated that the government will support a fund with blended capital raised under the co-investment approach through Nabard to assist agro start-ups and rural enterprises.

According to Sitharaman, this is to support agricultural and rural enterprise start-ups relevant to the farm produce value chain.

These start-ups’ activities will include inter-area support for farmer-producer organisations (FPOS), farm-level machinery rental, and technology with an invitee base, she added.

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In addition, the finance minister stated that the government will encourage chemical-free natural farming throughout the country in the first stage, with a concentration on farmer lands in five-kilometre wide corridors along the longer river Ganga.

She stated that a rationalised and comprehensive strategy to promote domestic production of oilseeds will be launched to lessen the country’s reliance on edible oil imports.

She stated that the government will create a PPP scheme including public sector research and extension institutes as well as private agritech businesses and partners in agri value chains to supply digital and high-tech services to farmers.

States will be urged to alter agricultural university curricula to meet the demands of natural zero-budget and organic farming, contemporary agriculture, value addition, and management, she added.

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Concerning agri-crop procurement, the FM stated that the government’s acquisition of wheat and paddy at the minimum support price (MSP) in 2021-22 will include 1,208 lakh tonnes from 163 lakh farmers.

Rs 2.37 lakh crore will be the direct payment of MSP value to their accounts,” she said.

Because 2023 has been designated as the International Year of Millets, the FM stated that the government will provide post-harvest assistance to increase the domestic consumption of millet goods globally.

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The FM also stated that the government will implement policies and make the necessary legislative adjustments to encourage agroforestry and private forestry.

Furthermore, financial assistance will be provided to farmers from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes who choose to engage in agroforestry, she added.