Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
Investment in agriculture, not loan waiver, solution to farmers’ problems: Fadnavisedit
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday assured the Maharashtra Assembly that a state government delegation will be meeting Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh for assistance in the agriculture sector. Addressing the Maharashtra Assembly, Fadnavis said the economy is focused on agriculture, investment and increasing agriculture productivity and not just relief and rehabilitation.
PM Modi wants to double farmers’ income by 2022. But can he?edit
Narendra Modi-led government has unveiled a grand plan to double income for farmers by 2022. If attained, this could lead to numerous political and economic gains for the government. The government’s rural spending in FY17 percent shot up by 40 percent as compared to 14 percent in FY16.
Budget
Agriculture budget aims at a higher income in APedit
With an ambitious aim of switching over to mechanised cultivation in agriculture, the state government carved out a detailed plan which is reflected in the agriculture budget presented on Amaravati soil for the first time. From increasing the subsidy on mechanisation equipment to 70% from 50% to distribution of seeds through biometric system to satellite-based cultivation, the government has grand plans this year.
Budget: Farmers disappointededit
Farmers’ representatives of Tiruchi and Pudukottai districts are disappointed over the budget, especially over its failure to come up with measures to alleviate sufferings of drought-hit farmers.
Anbumani Ramadoss asks for separate ‘Agriculture Budget’edit
The growth in agriculture for 2017-18 is projected to be 4.1%, he says. “The enhanced budget allocation for farm sector will go a long way in doubling the income of farmers. I want to make it clear that by increasing the allocation for agriculture sector as a whole and also for irrigation works, we are working towards increasing the farm income. A marked change in the agricultural policy between UPA and NDA regimes is visible as unlike past, the expenditure for agri sector has increased manifold.
Technology in Agriculture
Agri-tech startup FarMart raises seed funding from IANedit
Indian Angel Network (IAN) has made an undisclosed investment in Gurgaon-based FarMart, a renting platform for farm equipment, a statement issued by the company stated. Operated by Farmart Service Pvt Ltd, the startup was founded in December 2015 by Alekh Sanghera, Mehtab Singh Hans, and Lokesh Singh. Through its technology-enabled platform, FarMart helps farmers rent their underutilised agricultural machinery to small and marginal farmers in need of it on a pay-per-use basis via a mobile app and call centre.