Govt accords top priority to agriculture sector: Radha Mohan

New Delhi, Sept 19: The Government has accorded top priority to the agriculture sector and Finance Ministry announced Rs 62,376-crore fund allocation for the sector in 2017-18, Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Radha Mohan Singh said here today. Addressing the two-day Rabi Conference – 2017-18, Mr Singh said the Government’s aim is to increase the productivity and ensure farmers can get the remunerative price of their produce. He said the Government is also ensuring that along with special focus on dairy/animal husbandry/fishery, the agriculture education, research, and expansion system is further extended. 'It is our responsibility to make special efforts to improve the agricultural sector so that it provides strong trade opportunities,' Mr Singh said. He said crop wise target is fixed and arrangement of supplies to different states is decided in consultation with the officials of various state Governments. The Minister said the use of recent technologies and new practices in the agriculture sector is also reviewed. 'Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a dream of doubling farmers’ income by 2022 and to make his dream come true, we have launched several schemes,' Mr Singh said. Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, Soil Health Card Scheme, Neem Coated Urea and e-NAM are some of the major schemes which have been launched to increase production and farmers’ income, he said. UNI