Indian Government moving to doubling farmers’ income by 2024

The recent reforms that include three laws to give barrier-free trading policies to farmers, are intended at directing the post-production challenges and assuring more reliable profits to farmers, said Ashok Dalwai, CEO of the National Rainfed Area Authority under the agriculture ministry.

Aim of doubling farmers’ income in the upcoming years

The government is on route to obtaining the aim of increasing farmers’ income by 2024. Current farm improvements that include introducing up of a Rs 1 lakh crore agri-infra fund are actions in the same direction, a senior agriculture ministry official told on Friday. The current improvements that include three directives to implement barrier-free trading platforms to farmers are intended at approaching the post-production hurdles and securing better returns to farmers, told Ashok Dalwai who is CEO of the National Rainfed Area Authority.

Who is Ashok Dalwai?

Ashok Dalwai is the chairman of the Committee on Doubling Farmers’ Income (DFI) and, under the agriculture ministry, he is the CEO of the National Rainfed Area Authority. He spoke about doubling the farmer’s income at a webinar organized by the India Pulses And Grains Association (IPGA).

The question raised, and confidence answered.

To a question on whether the government will accomplish the aim of growing farmers’ income by 2024, Dalwai answered, “We are 100 percent sure that we are in the correct way and moving ahead on the right track. Surely, you will observe an increase in the farmers’ income and more strong agricultural growth by 2024.”

He also said the rate of gross capital formation is directly linked to income extension. “Studying at how the government has emphatically answered and made an enormous investment commitment presently, we are on track,” he added.

The government’s price support scheme and the post-production reforms

Ashok Dalwai stated that the government’s price support scheme solely could not provide incentives to farmers.

The post-production reforms aim to provide incentives to farmers so that they can produce higher profits by getting better profitable prices and together adopt new technology and management practices for larger productivity.

Ashok Dalwai on agri-reforms and liberalization of the agriculture sector

Dalwai said on the agri-reforms declared amid the COVID-19 crisis, the three laws frame the government’s constant effort towards the liberalization of the agriculture sector.

“In 2003, the farm sector planted it’s first seed of liberation. Unluckily, notwithstanding 17 years, the journey of improvements has not been uniform. In the past four years, what the government has decided to do is to put improvements on a more healthy track,” he said.

Post-production has been a significant challenge in India. In 1965, the government launched the Green Revolution to obtain higher farm productivity and meet food security. Presently, the country is in excess, he said.

He emphasized the improvements undertaken are immediately related to making necessary changes in the post-production part in 1965.

“Various people and scholars compare with 1991 momentum, but I would like to highlight this is more major 1965 momentum. The 1965 reform was associated with the production, which is related to post-production,” he noted.

Emphasizing the farm sector’s significance, he said in the 21st century it could be based on a “circular economy,” where agri produce can serve not just humans and animals but can also give raw material to industries.

The Dalwai committee, established in April 2016, has suggested various measures to obtain the target to increase farmers’ income by 2022. However, the government moved the deadline to 2024 beginning this year in a booklet named ‘Transforming India.’

Nidhi Khare on The Essential Commodities Act

In the recent revision to the Essential Commodities Act, Additional Secretary in the Consumer Affairs Ministry Nidhi Khare announced the nation had experienced this act and regulations for 65 years. The law has been published and very shortly the bill will also arrive, she said.

“It is going to be our first period to see how markets perform and whether we can induce positivity into the investors and bring permanent institutions that are expected for food processing and ensure farmers receive their fair price,” she stated.