The Union Cabinet has merged all centrally sponsored schemes for the agriculture sector into two umbrella schemes — the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY) and the Krishonnati Yojana (KY). The aim is to avoid duplication and ensure convergence.
The proposal of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) to rationalise these schemes was approved by the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 3.
PM-RKVY, which will promote sustainable agriculture, and KY, which will address food security and agricultural self-sufficiency, will be implemented with a total proposed expenditure of Rs 1,01,321.61 crore. Out of this, allocation for PM-RKVY was 57,074.72 crore and for KY Rs 44,246.89 crore.
“This exercise ensures that all the existing schemes are being continued. Wherever it was considered necessary to give fillip to any area for farmer’s welfare, the scheme has been taken up in mission mode,” read a government statement.
The rationalisation of various schemes has also been undertaken to provide flexibility to states, who will be given an opportunity to prepare a ‘comprehensive strategic document’ on the agriculture sector of the state.
“The document focuses not only the production and productivity of the crops but also tackles the emerging issues of climate resilient agriculture and development of value chain approach for agricultural commodities. These plans are envisaged to articulate the overall strategy and the schemes / programmes, linked with the objectives flowing from the strategic framework,” the government said.
For example, under PM-RKVY, the state governments can be given flexibility to re-allocate funds from one component to other based on their state specific requirements.
The PM-RKVY comprises of schemes related to soil health management, rainfed area development, agro forestry, crop diversification, among others.
Meanwhile, in an another decision, the Union Cabinet also approved the National Mission for Edible Oils-Oil Seeds, aimed at boosting domestic oilseed production and achieving self-reliance when it comes to edible oils.
The mission will be implemented over a seven-year period, from 2024-25 to 2030-31, with a financial outlay of Rs 10,103 crore, with an aim to increase primary oilseed production from 39 million tonnes (2022-23) to 69.7 million tonnes by 2030-31.
It will focus on enhancing the production of key primary oilseed crops such as rapeseed-mustard, groundnut, soybean, sunflower and sesamum, as well as increasing collection and extraction efficiency from secondary sources like cottonseed, rice bran and tree-borne oils.