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The Gist of Kurukshetra : PM on Doubling Farmers' Income - July - 2017

The reduction of input costs is the first element towards raising farm incomes. Soil Health Card scheme, and the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana are important steps towards reducing input costs.
He also called for raising farm incomes through diversification in farming activities. Along with crop growing, farmers could opt for timber plantation along the edges of their fields, and also begin animal husbandry.
The more the farmers are empowered, and financially enabled to stand on their own feet, the stronger the country will become, and the faster will be the pace of development.
Rabi sowing is up by 6 per cent compared to last year. Fertilizer off take is up by 9 per cent. During this period, the 'Government has taken care to ensure that farmers do not suffer for want of access to seeds, fertilisers and credit.
Farmers who have taken loans for the Rabi crop from District Cooperative Central Banks and Primary Societies, will not have to pay interest on such loans for a period of 60 days. Farmers who have paid interest during the last two months, will receive these amounts back, directly into their bank accounts.
Arrangements are being made to provide farmers even better access to loans from cooperative banks and societies. NABARD created a fund of 21,000 crore rupees. Government is adding 20,000 crore rupees more to it. The loss that NABARD suffers by giving loans to cooperative banks and societies at low interest rates, shall be borne by the Government of India.
The Government will be give 3 crore farmers who have Kisan Credit Cards, RuPay debit cards within three months. Kisan Credit Cards were launched in 1998, but so far, it was essential to go to a bank, to use them. Now, farmers will have RuPay Debit Cards, which they can use anywhere.
Government will focus its attention to proactively resolve the problems in rural and remote areas, in order to restore the banking system to normalcy in 2017.
BHIM (Bharat Interface for Money) will connect the trading community, and farmers to connect with BHIM as much as possible.
The focus of the Budget 2017-18 is also on agriculture, rural development and infrastructure which is also a reflection of the Government's commitment to raise investment and create employment opportunities and therefore ,the allocation for the schemes in these categories has been hiked substantially.
The next revolution in Indian agriculture has to be built on technology and modernization, and the eastern part of India has maximum potential to achieve it. The Government is working towards this goal.