Agriculture Current Affair 29 March 2022

Govt’s paddy procurement reaches 741.62 lac tons so far in 2021-22 season

The Centre has procured 741.62 lakh tonne of paddy in the ongoing 2021-22 marketing year so far at the minimum support price (MSP), Union Food Ministry said on Monday. “Till now about 105.14 lakh farmers have been benefitted with MSP value of Rs 1,45,358.13 crore,” the ministry said in a statement.

A quantity of 741.62 lakh tonne of paddy has been procured till March 27 of the ongoing 2021-22 marketing year, it said.

Out of the total procurement undertaken so far, maximum of 187.28 lakh tonne of paddy has been procured from Punjab, followed by 92.01 lakh tonne from Chhattisgarh, 70.22 lakh tonne from Telangana, 55.30 lakh tonne from Haryana and 66.53 lakh tonne from Uttar Pradesh till March 27 of the ongoing marketing year.

No farm loan waiver scheme by Centre in last 5 years: Minister Bhagwat Karad

The government has not given any farm loan waiver to farmers in the last five years and this year so far, Parliament was informed on Monday. The government has initiated various steps to ease the debt burden of farmers in the country, Minister of State for Finance Bhagwat Karad said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

“No farm loan waiver scheme has been implemented by the Government of India during the last 5 years and the current year,” Karad said.

He was responding to a question asked by All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF)’s Badruddin Ajmal about the amount allocated and spent by the government to waive loans of farmers during the last five years and the current year in the lower house of Parliament.

Now, government plans to launch super app for farmers

The government plans to launch a super app for farmers, consolidating multiple digital entities and existing mobile applications meant for them, said an official at the ministry of agriculture and farmers’ welfare.

The consolidation will help farmers in accessing information such as latest research and development, weather and market updates, services available, government schemes and advisories for different agro-climatic zones under one umbrella.

The ministry is looking at combining apps like Kisan Suvidha, Pusa Krishi, MKisan, Shetkari Masik Android App, Farm-o-pedia, Crop Insurance Android App, AgriMarket, Iffco Kisan and ICAR’s Krishi Gyan among others.