PM Modi urged stakeholders to suggest ways to implement proposals in agri budget more effectively on the ground, and emphasised need to enhance production of pulses to reduce the country’s dependence on imports.
He pitched for exploring new ways to promote diverse nutritional foods and asked private sector to focus on high-yielding crop seeds. Addressing a post-budget webinar on agriculture & rural prosperity via video-conferencing, he said though the country has in recent years increased production of pulses and achieved self-sufficiency in chickpeas and mung, 20% domestic consumption still relies on imports and thus there is a need to accelerate the output of pigeon peas, black gram, and lentils.
“Our resolve towards the goal of ‘Viksit Bharat’ is very clear. We are building an India where farmers are prosperous and empowered”, said Modi while underlining agriculture as the first engine of development, giving farmers a place of pride.
PM Modi highlighted initiatives announced in the first full Budget of his third term and gave examples of the earlier scheme including PM-Kisan (income support scheme) that he said benefitted crores of farmers across the country, providing Rs 3.75 lakh crore in the past six years.