Everything else can wait, but not agriculture…” was a famous remark made by former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. This not only signifies the importance of agriculture in terms of ensuring food security, but also highlights the fact that the timing of various farm activities has to be precise.
It is in this context that farmers focus not just on implementation of budgetary proposals, but also timely delivery of regular services. For the record, the Agriculture Department is among the very few that has “formally” cleared the decks for implementation of all budgetary proposals by issuing government notifications.
Seven proposals
Seven major proposals were made in the State Budget for 2014–15. Of them, the flagship programme was Krishi Bhagya, which aimed to improve livelihood of dry-land farmers.
Under the scheme, the focus is on harvesting rainwater by treating each agricultural field as a watershed and storing it in farm ponds to support crops during crisis.
Implementation of this scheme began in December 2014 as digging of farm ponds can be taken up only after it rains. While implementation of the first phase of the project is on, farmers are worried as the number of beneficiaries is too small. Another major proposal of setting up custom-hiring centres under public-private partnership at the hobli-level for renting farm machinery too began a month ago with 150 centres.
Though the proposal for developing a special package to improve yields of nutrient-rich cereals of ragi and jowar has been implemented by distributing technology kits, its reach has been minimal.
Another proposal of increasing reservation for children of farmers and labourers in agricultural universities will be a reality only from the coming academic year. Similarly, the much-publicised interest-free farm loan up to Rs. 3 lakh through co-operative banks is confined to an influential group of farmers rather than reaching the needy.
As the proposals for another budget is getting ready, agricultural experts say the need of the hour is to strengthen agricultural extension network with the inclusion of grassroot-level extension workers who can camp in villages.
B.S. Satish Kumar
in Bengaluru
