In the last three years, the government has implemented Chief Minister Kisan Mitra Energy Scheme, formation of Farmers Welfare Fund, Chief Minister Milk Producer Sambal Yojana, loan waiver, cooperative crop loan online registration and distribution scheme, Rajasthan Agricultural Processing, Agribusiness, and Agriculture Export Promotion Policy. Realizing the importance of this sector, the government has also taken a historic decision of bringing a separate agriculture budget for the first time. Chief Minister Shri Ashok Gehlot is making constant efforts to make necessary provisions for the prosperity of the farmers and cattle rearers in the state.
The Chief Minister announced a separate agriculture budget for the state’s farmers in 2021-22. CM Gehlot is continuously establishing a pre-budget dialogue with different sections of the people. In these sessions, he has interacted with the farmers to know their suggestions. In pre-budget discussion with farmers, livestock farmers, officials of dairy unions, and representatives of tribal areas through video conferencing from the Chief Minister’s residence, they again reiterated their commitment to this sector.
The sensitivity of the state government can be understood from the fact that under the leadership of our Chief Minister, Rajasthan will become the only state where a separate agriculture budget is there for the farmers. Not only this, Chief Minister Shri Ashok Gehlot has approved the formation of the Rajasthan State Agro Industries Development Board for doubling the income of farmers, which will give suggestions regarding making concrete policy to increase the income of farmers and its practical implementation. Along with this, a framework is coming that will connect more and more state farmers with agro-processing. Apart from this, the Rajasthan government has made strenuous efforts to provide an uninterrupted power supply to the farmers and provide electricity according to the need during the crop season, despite facing a coal shortage.
The Rajasthan government has also made preparations to form a separate Krishi Electricity Distribution Company for the farmers of the state. A draft is prepared to start a new power company for the farmers. During the pre-budget dialogue with the farmers, Chief Minister Shri Ashok Gehlot himself has also intensified his exercise to fulfill this budget announcement. With this step, the government is also planning to reduce the subsidy burden on the state’s farmers. However, at this time, the government is bearing a burden subsidy of 16 thousand crores in farmers’ electricity bills. Apart from this, under the Kisan Mitra Energy Scheme, an additional Rs 17,450 crore is also given annually.
The state government is also working to promote animal husbandry along with agriculture. The Rajasthan government can also announce opening more milk collection centers and chilling centers in the districts in the coming budget. The government endeavors to promote and protect improved breeds of milch animals in the state so that Rajasthan becomes the top state in the country in milk production.