Separate agriculture budget set to benefit farmers; debt relief body in the offing in Rajasthan

Rajasthan’s agriculture budget for this year proposes to make young agriculturists employable by giving them training for operating the farm equipment, solar pump sets and micro-irrigation systems.

The separate agriculture budget presented for the second successive year in Rajasthan is set to benefit farmers, whose support for the ruling Congress will be crucial ahead of Assembly election due in the State in December this year. The Congress expects to get the backing of farmers who are believed to be discontented with the Centre’s agricultural policies.

A Debt Relief Commission, which will provide relief to agriculturists from the debt burden and stop auctioning of their land, is also in the offing. The new body, headed by a retired High Court judge, will be established under the Farmers’ Debt Relief Act, for which an announcement was made in the 2023-24 Budget, presented by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in the Assembly on February 10.

Mr. Gehlot announced several relief measures for farmers, including free electricity for those consuming less than 2,000 units per month, ₹7,500 crore for Farmers’ Welfare Fund, interest subsidy for crop loans and subsidies for other works, restructuring of irrigation with ₹3,600 crore and compensation of ₹40,000 each on the death of livestock because of lumpy skin disease.

Mr. Gehlot affirmed that the agriculture and dairy sectors could be developed rapidly in the State through technology and innovations. Besides creating the Farmers’ Welfare Fund last year, the State government has launched schemes such as Kisan Mitra Urja Yojana, Milk Producers’ Sambal Yojana and agricultural export promotion policy, in addition to farm loan waiver and online registration for cooperative crop loans.

The Cooperative Department has started preparations for setting up the Debt Relief Commission after the enactment of the legislation. Principal Cooperative Secretary Sreya Guha said the Act would be drafted within the next one month and asked the Registrar, Cooperative Societies, to form a committee for the purpose.

Ms. Guha said the small and marginal farmers, landless labourers and agriculturists from weaker sections were facing debt-related problems because of their peculiar circumstances. “The new statute will provide a permanent solution by giving relief to farmers from the debt burden and help stop the auction of their agricultural land,” she said.

The Principal Secretary said interest-free crop loans worth ₹22,000 crore would be disbursed to farmers in 2023-24, for which an action plan would be prepared shortly. Interest-free loans of ₹3,000 crore will be also be disbursed in the rural areas to 1.50 lakh families in the non-agricultural sectors, such as handicrafts, small industries, spinning and weaving, painting and printing and shops.