Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that Agriculture Infrastructure Fund of Rs 1 lakh crore will help create modern facilities for the sector in villages, besides generating new employment opportunities.
Speaking at the launch of financing facility and release benefits under PM-KISAN, he said that a big plan has been made to bring the famous products in every district to the market of the country and the world under the self-reliant India campaign.
"Special fund of Rs 1 lakh crore has been released today. This will help in creating better storage, modern cold storage chains in the villages and many employment opportunities will be created in the village. It will also help farmers groups in the village, farmers committees, FPOs to build warehouses, cold storage, setting up industries related to food processing, Rs 1 lakh crore," the Prime Minister said.
"This modern infrastructure will go a long way in setting up agro-based industries. Under the self-reliant India campaign, a big plan has been made to bring the famous products in every district to the market of the country and the world," he added.
"Who will run agriculture-based industries? The majority of the share will go to Farmers Production Orgsations (FPOs). In the coming years, the emphasis is being given to create 10,000 new FPOs," the Prime Minister said.
He said that 350 agricultural startups related to food processing, Artificial Intelligence, Internet of things, manufacturing of smart farming equipment and renewable energy have been provided with support.
He said that the objective PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi is being fulfilled.
"Rs 17,000 crores of PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi have been deposited into bank accounts of 8.5 crore farmers with a single click today. No middlemen or commission, it went straight to farmers. I am satisfied because the objective of the scheme is being fulfilled. Every farmer family is getting assistance at the right time," the Prime Minister said.
"In the last year and a half, through this scheme Rs 75,000 crores have been deposited directly in the bank accounts of farmers. Of this, Rs 22,000 crores have been transferred to the farmers during the lockdown period," he said.
The Prime Minister said that now solutions are being sought for all these questions related to farmers and farming under the self-reliant India campaign.
"Mission for one country, one mandi for which work was going on for the last 7 years, is now being completed. Through the first e-NAM, a large technology-based system was created. Now, by making law, the farmer was exempted from the purview of the mandi and the mandi tax," he said.
"Now the farmer has many options. If he wants to deal with his produce in his field, he can. Or directly from the warehouse, the farmer can deal with whoever pays the higher price to the merchants and institutions associated with e-NAM," he added.
( With inputs from ANI )