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The Budget 2024-2025 announcement by Union Finance Minister <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> saw productivity and resilience in <keyword id="19931887" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="agriculture" source="keywords">agriculture</keyword> being prioritised above all else. With a desire to turn focus on <keyword id="19934969" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="farmers" source="keywords">farmers</keyword>, or Annadatas, ₹1.52 lakh crore has been allocated for agriculture and its allied sectors. This is quite an increase from the Interim Budget announcement of ₹1.27 lakh crore in February 2024. It is being speculated that this substantial focus on the agricultural sector stems from the BJP's vote share dipping in semi-urban and rural areas during the recent Lok Sabha elections. In fact, when Prime Minister <keyword id="19895781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="narendra-modi" source="keywords">Narendra Modi</keyword> returned for a third term in office, the first file he signed was for the release of the 17th instalment of the PM <keyword id="22000840" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kisan-nidhi" source="keywords">Kisan Nidhi</keyword> scheme, ET reported. However, the government's commitment to transforming agriculture and potentially the lives of Indian farmers could lead to the agricultural sector growing at 3.7% in the current fiscal, compared to 1.4% last year, as per the CII. <h2>Key initiatives in agriculture</h2>Transforming Agriculture Research The government is set to conduct a comprehensive review of the agricultural research framework, with an emphasis on enhancing productivity and developing climate-resilient crop varieties. Funding will be allocated on a challenge basis, including to private sector initiatives. This research will be overseen by domain experts from both governmental and non-governmental organizations. Release of New Varieties A total of 109 new high-yielding and climate-resilient varieties of 32 field and horticulture crops will be introduced for farmers to cultivate. Promoting Natural Farming In the next two years, the government plans to transition one crore farmers to natural farming practices, supported by certification and branding efforts. This initiative will be carried out through scientific institutions and willing <keyword id="20030597" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gram-panchayats" source="keywords">gram panchayats</keyword>, with 10,000 bio-input resource centers to be established based on need. Missions for Pulses and Oilseeds To achieve self-sufficiency in pulses and oilseeds, the government will strengthen their production, storage, and marketing. As outlined in the interim budget, a strategy is being implemented to attain 'atmanirbharta' (self-reliance) for oilseeds like mustard, groundnut, sesame, soybean, and sunflower. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111930255" title="Economic Survey calls for urgent agricultural reforms; cites growth hurdles" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Vegetable Production &amp; Supply Chains Large-scale clusters for vegetable production will be developed near major consumption centers. The government will support Farmer-Producer Organizations, cooperatives, and startups to streamline the vegetable supply chain, including collection, storage, and marketing. Digital Public Infrastructure for Agriculture Building on the success of a pilot project, the government, in partnership with states, will facilitate the implementation of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for agriculture over the next three years. This year, a digital crop survey for Kharif crops will be conducted in 400 districts, integrating details of six crore farmers and their lands into registries. Additionally, Jan Samarth-based Kisan Credit Cards will be issued in five states. Shrimp Production &amp; Export Financial support will be provided to establish a network of Nucleus Breeding Centres for shrimp broodstocks. NABARD will facilitate financing for shrimp farming, processing, and export. National Cooperation Policy A new National Cooperation Policy will be introduced to promote systematic and comprehensive development of the cooperative sector. This policy aims to fast-track rural economic growth and create large-scale employment opportunities. <h2>Budget allocation highlights</h2><ul><li>PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi: Will be retaining its allocation of ₹60,000 crore to provide direct financial assistance to 11.8 crore small and marginal farmers.</li><li>Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana: Allocated funds to provide crop insurance to four crore farmers, protecting them from adverse weather conditions.</li><li>e-NAM Expansion: Integration of 1,361 mandis into the e-NAM platform to enhance market efficiency and transparency, benefiting 1.8 crore farmers with an expected trading volume of ₹3 lakh crore.</li></ul><h2>Government committed to Polavaram irrigation project in Andhra Pradesh</h2>The Finance Minister said that the government is fully committed to financing and expeditiously completing the Polavaram irrigation project, which is considered a lifeline for Andhra Pradesh and its farmers. <h2>Future directions</h2>The government aims to increase public and private investment in post-harvest infrastructure and supply chains, promoting aggregation, modern storage, and efficient processing to reduce losses and improve food security. Additionally, the dairy and fisheries sectors will see significant development, with initiatives to boost productivity and exports, contributing to a sustainable and prosperous agricultural ecosystem. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111951205" title="Budget 2024-25: Changes to tax slabs, increased standard deduction and other changes to direct taxation" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

What does Union Budget 2024-2025 have in store for farmers and the agricultural sector?

New Delhi [India], July 25 (ANI): The discussion on the <keyword id="6360189" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Budget" source="Orion">Union Budget</keyword> 2024-25, presented on July 23, will continue in both <keyword id="244400" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Houses-of-Parliament" source="Orion">Houses of Parliament</keyword> on Thursday. The discussion on <keyword id="6358021" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Budget" source="Orion">Budget</keyword> of <keyword id="17605" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="jammu-and-kashmir" source="Orion">Jammu and Kashmir</keyword>, 2024-25, which was also presented on Tuesday, will also continue today. Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Jitendra Singh, Arjun Ram Meghwal and Kirtivardhan Singh will lay papers on the table today. Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar is likely to make a statement regarding status of implementation of recommendations and observations contained in the 250th report of the department-related parliamentary standing committee on Home Affairs on action taken by the government on the recommendations and observations contained in the 243rd report of the committee on demands for grants (2023-24) of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region. Both Houses of <keyword id="19895397" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Parliament" source="keywords">Parliament</keyword> took up discussion on the <keyword id="15626720" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="union-budget-2024" source="Orion">Union Budget 2024</keyword> on July 24, with opposition parties accusing it of being "discriminatory" to most states and lacking vision. The discussion was initiated by former Finance Minister and Congress MP P Chidambaram in Rajya Sabha and Congress MP Kumari Selja initiated the discussion in Lok Sabha. Raising four major challenges, Chidambaram said the most significant challenge is unemployment and data released by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) indicates that the unemployment rate for June 2024 is 9.2 per cent . Chidambaram emphasised that the primary challenge for the economy is creating sufficient employment opportunities. He pointed out that the budget's announcement of the employment-linked incentives (ELI) scheme suggests that the Production Linked Incentives (PLI) scheme is not generating the expected employment. He urged the finance minister to disclose the number of jobs created by the PLI scheme. Radha Mohan Das Aggarwal of the BJP highlighted the achievements made by the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the last ten years. He said the Jan Dhan Yojana has provided banking services to crores of people in the country. Biplab Kumar Deb of the BJP said the Economic Survey has estimated real GDP growth of 6.5 per cent to 7 per cent in 2024-25. He highlighted the provisions in the budget for various sections, including farmers and the education sector. Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee launched a strong attack on the Modi government, alleging that the Union Budget lacks clarity or vision, that it has been rolled out to satisfy the coalition partners of the BJP and that it "was planned by two individuals to keep another two in good faith." The budget session of Parliament began on July 22 and, according to schedule, will end on August 12.

Discussions on Union Budget, Budget for Jammu and Kashmir to continue in Parliament today

<ul><li>Integrated platform to be set up under insolvency and bankruptcy board to benefit stakeholders</li><li>IBC has recovered Rs 3.3. lakh crore for creditors, 28 cases worth Rs 10 lakh crore also dismissed </li><li>Additional tribunals will be notified</li></ul><keyword id="19912360" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Finance-Minister-Nirmala-Sitharaman" source="keywords">Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> is set to present the Union <keyword id="15478236" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="budget-2024" source="Orion">Budget 2024</keyword> in the parliament at 11 am today and has arrived at the parliament with the paperless Bahi-Khata, a practice first followed by the minister while presenting the <keyword id="6360189" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="union-budget" source="Orion">Union budget</keyword> for 2021-22. This will be the seventh time FM Sitharaman will be presenting the <keyword id="6358021" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="budget" source="Orion">budget</keyword>, inching past the record of former <keyword id="19956758" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Finance-Minister" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Finance Minister" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Finance Minister">finance minister</keyword> Morarji Desai, who had 5 full-fledged and 1 interim budget presentation to his credit. President <keyword id="20109163" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="draupadi-murmu" source="keywords">Draupadi Murmu</keyword> had described this budget as historic, in terms of the reforms and announcements it will lay forth. Earlier in the day, the FM had met the president with a copy of the budget. The budget will set forth the tone for Modi's third tenure, and will be an important cornerstone for his vision for India's Amritkal, leading India towards becoming a developed nation, or Viksit Bharat. Sitharaman will begin her budget speech at 11 am in the Lok Sabha. You can watch the presentation live on the official Youtube channels of the government. After her speech, all budget-related documents will be available at indiabudget.gov.in <h2>FM Sitharaman tables <keyword id="20387181" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Budget-2024-25" source="keywords">Union Budget 2024-25</keyword></h2>FM Sitharaman, "India's inflation continues to be low, stable, moving towards 4% target. We need to focus on Gareeb, Mahila, Yuva and Annadata (Poor, Women, Youth and Farmers). Budget to focus on employment, skilling, MSME and middle class. Allocations of Rs 1.48 lakh crore have been made for education and skilling in this budget". Productivity and Resilience in Agriculture <ul><li>Aim to develop climate resilient crop varieties. Over next 2 years, 1 crore farmers will be initiated into natural farming through structural support. 10,000 need based bio-resource centers will be established. </li><li>Financing for shrimp farming, processing and export will be facilitated through NABARD </li><li>Rs 1.25 lakh crore set aside for agriculture and allied activities. </li></ul> Employment and Skilling <ul><li>Scheme A: One month wage to all those entering the formal workforce across all sectors. The scheme is expected to benefit 210 lakh youngsters</li><li>Job creation in manufacturing: Incentives given to both employee and employer in the first 4 years of the employment, basis their EPFO contribution.</li><li>Support to employers: The govt. will reimburse Rs 3,000 per month for 2 years for each additional employee hired by employer. The scheme is expected to benefit 50 lakh people</li><li>Establish working women hostels and creches to facilitate women participation in workforce</li></ul>Infrastructure Development <ul><li>Bihar and Andhra Pradesh to receive additional monetary support in the current financial year. Development of new airports, roadways and sports infrastructure to be undertaken in Bihar.</li><li>Grants for backward regions in Andhra Pradesh will be provided</li><li>3 crore additional houses in rural and urban India have been made under PM Aawas Yojana.</li><li>Women led development schemes have received an allocation of over Rs 3 lakh crore.</li><li>Credit support to MSMEs during stress periods</li><li>SIDBI to open new branches in MSME clusters within 3 years and offer direct credit to them. 24 new branches to be opened this year, covering 168 MSME clusters</li><li>To enable MSMEs and artisans to sell products in international markets, hubs to be set up under public-private partnership model. </li><li>Encourage moderation of stamp duties, also consider lowering duties for properties purchased by women.</li><li>Infra investment in economy to stand at 3.4% of GDP</li></ul>Tourism <ul><li>Development of Vishnu Path, Mahabodhi temple corridor</li><li>Support development of Nalanda as a tourist center</li><li>Development of Orissa as a popular tourist destination.</li></ul>Research, Innovation and New Gen reforms <ul><li>Expanding space economy by 5x in the next 10 years via a venture fund of Rs 1,000 crore</li><li>Land management and urban planning to incentivised for timely completion</li><li>Digitisation of terrestial maps will be undertaken</li><li>Establishing land registry and linking to farmer registry as well </li><li>E-shram portal to be integrated with other relevant portals for seamless services </li><li>Shram Suvidha and Samadhan portal will be revamped to enhance ease of compliance</li></ul>Investments Introduction of NPS Vatsalya: Investments can be made on behalf of child. Once they turn 18, this can be converted into a normal NPS account. Budget Estimates 2024-25 Total receipts (sans borrowings) Rs 32.07 lakh crore Tax receipts; Rs 25.83 lakh crore Fiscal deficit at 4.9% of GDP Solar Energy Increase in list of exempted capital goods used for manufacturing solar products No extension in exemption of custom duty for foreign products used for solar manufacturing Income Tax A comprehensive review of the Income Tax Act, of 1961 is in order Merger of two exemptions for charities of donations TDS rate on e-commerce operations to reduce to 0.1% Provisions for reassessment to be simplified. Also read: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/budget-2024-25-changes-to-tax-slabs-increased-standard-deduction-and-other-changes-to-direct-taxation/articleshow/111951205.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Budget 2024-25: Changes to tax slabs, increased standard deduction and other changes to direct taxation</a> Simplification of capital gains STCG on specified financial assets to be at 20% Other financial and non-financial assets to be taxed at applicable rates Long term capital Gains on financial and non-financial assets to be at 12.5% Annual limit on exemption raised from Rs 1,00,000 Rs 1,25,000 Listed financial assets will be considered long-term if held for more than 12 months. Other taxation highlights Angel Tax to be scraped away Simpler tax regime for foreign shipping companies Security transaction rates on trading in future and options to be increased Standard deduction to increase to Rs 75,000 from Rs 50,000 under new tax regime Deduction for pensioners enhanced from Rs 15,ooo to Rs 25,000 Tax slabs under new regime revised. Employee can save up to Rs 17,500 in income taxes annually. Total revenue foregone is about Rs 8 lakh crore.

Union Budget 2024-25 key highlights: Angel tax to be scraped

One of the fundamental focuses of this <keyword id="19936553" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="budget" source="keywords">budget</keyword> was to boost skill development, job creation, and <keyword id="19898684" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="employment" source="keywords">employment</keyword>, with youth being one of its four cornerstones, in addition to women, the poor, and farmers. And to this front, the FM announced major changes, particularly to benefit first-timers or new additions to the workforce. New entrants across all formal sectors will be eligible for receiving one month worth of wages in three instalments, with a ceiling of Rs 15,000. This is expected to benefit 210 lakh young people who have a maximum annual salary is Rs 1,00,000. <h2>New in the workforce? You'll be paid</h2>Both employers and employees will be incentivised by means of <keyword id="20587419" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="EPFO-contributions" source="keywords">EPFO contributions</keyword> for the first 4 years of employment. What makes this scheme particularly lucrative for employees is that the government will reimburse EPFO contributions, Rs 3,000 per month, per additional employee, to the employer. For this purpose, all additional employees who have a maximum salary of Rs 1 lakh will be considered. In order to promote upskilling, the budget also promised loans of up to Rs 7.5 lakh, which will be backed by government' guarantee. It is estimated that this will benefit 25,000 students every year. Youngsters will also be able to get loans of up to Rs 10 lakh for pursuing higher education in domestic educational institutions. Apart from this, around 1,000 industrial training institutes will be upgraded, in order to train 20 lakh youth over the next 5 years. E-vouchers will be provided to 1 lakh students every year for interest subvention (bringing down the total interest cost) of up to 3% of the total loan amount. Says Krishnendu Chatterjee, VP and Business Head at TeamLease Services, "The government's commitment to employment and employability is clear with its Rs 1.48 lakh crore provision. This initiative, based on EPFO enrollment, focuses on recognizing first-time employees and includes direct benefit transfers of the first month's salary in three installments for salaries up to Rs 1 lakh". "Special emphasis is placed on the industrial and manufacturing sectors. Additionally, employers will receive incentives for job creation, with the government reimbursing up to Rs 3,000 per month for two years towards EPFO contributions for each new employee", he continued. <h2>Internship in top companies </h2>The budget also laid out a comprehensive scheme for assisting 1 crore young people to secure a 12-month internship in one of the top 500 companies of the country, over the next 5 years. For this, a monthly allowance of Rs 5,000 and a one-time help of Rs 6,000 will be provided. All training costs, along with 10% of the internship costs will be borne by the CSR funds of respective companies. Sunil Deshmukh, Chair of Global Board of Directors, Institute of Management Accountants noted that " with a Rs 2 lakh crore package for employment and skilling and Rs 1.48 lakh crores allocated to education, employment, and skill development, the budget comprehensively addresses job creation and skill enhancement. First-time workforce entrants will receive a direct transfer of up to ₹15,000, enhancing employability and stimulating economic growth. Overall, these measures demonstrate a strong commitment to economic reform and growth, creating a favorable tax environment that supports <keyword id="94495" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Innovation" source="Orion">innovation</keyword>, investment, and long-term development.'

Union Budget 2024: More for new additions in workforce, internship in top 500 companies

New Delhi [India], July 21 (ANI): As the Union <keyword id="19956758" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Finance-Minister" source="keywords">Finance Minister</keyword>, <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword>, is set to present her seventh <keyword id="19908389" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Union-Budget" source="keywords">Union Budget</keyword>, the <keyword id="21660910" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Monsoon-Session" source="keywords">Monsoon Session</keyword> of Parliament will commence on July 22. With the presentation of this year's budget, Sitharaman will establish herself as the first Finance Minister to present seven consecutive budgets, breaking the record of Morarji Desai's six budget presentations. Desai, who was the country's Finance Minister from 1959 to 1964, presented a record six budgets for the country, of which five were full budgets and one was an interim budget. Like the previous few full Union Budgets, <keyword id="15478236" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="budget-2024" source="Orion">Budget 2024</keyword> will also be delivered in paperless form. An Interim Union Budget 2024 was presented on February 1, as the country was due for general elections. As part of the <keyword id="20321465" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="budget-preparation" source="keywords">budget preparation</keyword>, the Finance Ministry has completed several rounds of deliberations with different stakeholders of the economy. These meetings started on June 20, during which Sitharaman met representatives from trade unions, the education and health sectors, employment and skilling, MSMEs, trade and services, industry, economists, the financial sector and capital markets, as well as representatives from the infrastructure, energy, and urban sectors. During the meetings, economists discussed several critical issues, such as boosting capital expenditure and reducing the fiscal deficit. The group of economists suggested to the ministry that the focus should be on reducing the fiscal deficit in the upcoming budget, along with the need to generate employment growth. The industry body, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), suggested that the government increase capital expenditure in the upcoming budget. The economists also emphasised the need to enhance capital expenditure. Farmer associations urged the Finance Minister to enhance the budgetary allocation for the agriculture sector. Representatives from the skilling and employment sectors suggested ways to skill the youth for better utilization of the workforce. This year's Monsoon Session will have 19 sittings until August 12. The Modi government is expected to present six bills, among which the Aircraft Act and Parliament's nod for the budget of Jammu and Kashmir are prominent. The government will also present the Finance Bill after the announcement of the budget on July 23. Among the other bills, the disaster management law, the Bhartiya Vayuyan Vidheyak 2024, the Boilers Bill, the Coffee (Promotion and Development) Bill, and the Rubber (Promotion and Development) Bill will be tabled in this year's Monsoon Session. The Bhartiya Vayuyan Vidheyak 2024 will replace the Aircraft Act of 1934 and streamline regulations in the civil aviation sector, aiding industry players in the sector. The interim budget, tabled on February 1, addressed the financial needs of the intervening period until a government was formed after the Lok Sabha polls, after which a full budget was supposed to be presented by the new government in July. The Union Budget documents will be available on the "Union Budget Mobile App" for hassle-free access to budget documents by Members of Parliament (MPs) and the public. The app is bilingual (English and Hindi) and is available on both Android and iOS platforms. The app can also be downloaded from the Union Budget Web Portal (www.indiabudget.gov.in).

FM Sitharaman to present historic seventh consecutive Union Budget in paperless format

New Delhi [India], July 24 (ANI): A <keyword id="4261957" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="general-discussion" source="Orion">general discussion</keyword> on the <keyword id="19908389" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Budget" source="keywords">Union Budget</keyword> and the budget for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for the fiscal year 2024-25 will be held in the <keyword id="19895369" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rajya-Sabha" source="keywords">Rajya Sabha</keyword> later on Wednesday. <keyword id="19956758" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="finance-minister" source="keywords">Finance Minister</keyword> <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> presented both the Union Budget and the <keyword id="22525621" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jammu-and-Kashmir-Budget" source="keywords">Jammu and Kashmir Budget</keyword> in the House on July 23. The discussion is crucial as both the budgets shape the financial direction of the country and the Union Territory, respectively. The Union Budget outlines the government's revenue and expenditure plans for the upcoming fiscal year, while the budget for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is a significant event considering the developmental needs. As per the list of businesses of the Rajya Sabha, the discussion on these two budgets will be convened later in the day. The discussion over these two budgets is expected to start in the second half of the day. According to the list of business of the Rajya Sabha, the ministers that are set to lay the papers on the table are Jayant Chaudhary for the Ministry of Education; Pankaj Chaudhary for the Ministry of Finance; Nityanand Rai for the Ministry of Home Affairs; and Sukanta Majumdar for the Ministry of Education. Besides, Rajya Sabha Secretary General PC Mody will lay on the table the Public Accounts Committee reports. This includes the 124th Report on Construction of Toilets in Schools by CPSEs; the 125th Report on Rejuvenation of the Ganga (Namami Gange); the 126th Report on Avoidable Payment due to Non-Charging of Service Tax/GST from the Passengers; and the 127th Report on Action Taken by the Government on the Observations and Recommendations of the Committee contained in their 46th Report (16th Lok Sabha) on Implementation of the Public-Private Partnership Project at Chhatrpati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai, among others. The reports were presented to the Speaker on February 23 and April 29, 2024, and to the Chairman, Rajya Sabha, on February 28 and May 13, 2024, before the dissolution of the 17th Lok Sabha. The Speaker had ordered the printing, publication and circulation of the reports. As per the business list of the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju will move the motion for election to the committee on the welfare of other backward classes. Kiren Rijiju will also move the motion for nomination to the committee on the welfare of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. The motion for nomination to the committee on public accounts will also be moved by Union Minister Rijiju in the House today. Moreover, Kiren Rijiju will move the motion for nomination to the committee on public undertakings. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2024-25 on Tuesday during the Monsoon Session of <keyword id="19895397" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Parliament" source="keywords">Parliament</keyword>. Nirmala Sitharaman became the first finance minister to present seven consecutive budget speeches, surpassing former prime minister Morarji Desai's record of six consecutive budgets as finance minister between 1959 and 1964. In her seventh budget, Nirmala Sitharaman outlined key priorities aimed at fostering economic growth and creating ample opportunities. These included productivity and resilience in agriculture, employment, and skilling and services. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hailed the Union <keyword id="15478236" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="budget-2024" source="Orion">Budget 2024</keyword> presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. "This budget strengthens every section of society. It takes the country's poor, village and farmers on the path of prosperity," the prime minister said in a video message. The Prime Minister praised the budget, emphasising its potential for job generation by incentivizing the top 500 companies to recruit more youth and also induct interns. The PM said the budget would help India achieve its objective of becoming the third largest economy, besides laying a strong foundation for Viksit Bharat. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday also said the Union Budget 2024-25 is game-changing and will go down in history for coupling Bharat's economic growth with the torque of its youth power. He also lauded the government's decision to provide training and internship programmes to youth. The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, welcomed the Union Budget 2024 laid before Parliament on Tuesday. Calling the Union Budget 2024 a 'visionary document', Sonowal said, "The Union Budget, 2024 lays the roadmap for renewed and holistic growth towards Viksit Bharat. This visionary budget is aimed at empowering the 'Garib' (poor), 'Mahilayen' (women), 'Yuva' (youth), and Annadata' (farmers) so that the process of development reaches every citizen of the country." Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Tuesday that Union Budget 2024 stands out for its unprecedented push towards employment generation and powering small businesses.

Rajya Sabha to hold general discussion on Union Budget, Jammu and Kashmir Budget today

As expected, leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (<keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP" source="keywords">BJP</keyword>) cannot stop singing praises of the Union Budget 2024-2025 presented by Finiance Minister <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> earlier today. However, moments after <keyword id="20385790" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Finance-Minister" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Union Finance Minister" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Union Finance Minister">Union Finance Minister</keyword> Nirmala Sitharaman presented the <keyword id="19955368" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Budget-2024" source="keywords">Budget 2024</keyword> in Parliament, the <keyword id="19895371" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Congress" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Congress">Congress</keyword> party launched a critical attack on the ruling Centre. They claimed that portions of the fiscal document had been lifted directly from their <keyword id="19977669" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Manifesto" source="keywords">manifesto</keyword> for the Lok Sabha elections held earlier this year. <h2><keyword id="19895780" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rahul-Gandhi" source="keywords">Rahul Gandhi</keyword>'s "Kursi Bachao" Budget comment</h2>Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi criticised the Budget, describing it as the "Kursi Bachao" (Save the Seat) Budget, aimed at appeasing the BJP's allies and cronies. He alleged that the document was copied from the Congress party's Lok Sabha polls manifesto. "Kursi Bachao Budget. Appease Allies: Hollow promises to them at the cost of other states. Appease Cronies: Benefits to AA with no relief for the common Indian. Copy and Paste: Congress manifesto and previous budgets," Gandhi said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). <div type="twitter" handle="RahulGandhi" handlename="RahulGandhi" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1815672226584166514"></div><h2><keyword id="19934649" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="P-Chidambaram" source="keywords">P Chidambaram</keyword> takes dig at the Nirmala Sitharaman</h2>Former Finance Minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram expressed his satisfaction over what he perceived as the government's adoption of ideas originally proposed by the Congress. "I am happy the Union Finance Minister has virtually adopted the Employment-linked Incentive (ELI) outlined on page 30 of the Congress Manifesto," tweeted Chidambaram. He further noted his approval of the introduction of an apprenticeship scheme with allowances for apprentices, a concept detailed on page 11 of the Congress Manifesto. <div type="twitter" handle="PChidambaram_IN" handlename="PChidambaram_IN" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1815638125168783772"></div> <div type="twitter" handle="PChidambaram_IN" handlename="PChidambaram_IN" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1815641688922063221"></div><h2><keyword id="19897159" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mallikarjun-Kharge" source="keywords">Mallikarjun Kharge</keyword> highlights 10 areas the Budget 2024 went wrong</h2>The President of the Indian National Congress Karge called the <keyword id="19916814" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Modi-Government" source="keywords">Modi Government</keyword> a "copycat" while going on to suggest that they could not even copy Congress' justice agenda properly. Here’s an English translation of his tweet: “The Modi Government's budget is distributing half-hearted "rewadis" to dupe its coalition partners so that the NDA survives. This is not a budget for "progress of the country", it is a "save Modi government" budget! 1. After 10 years, limited announcements have been made for the youth who are bearing the brunt of the slogan of two crore jobs per year. 2. Only superficial talks have been held for farmers, one and a half times MSP and doubling of income - all turned out to be electoral fraud! This government has no intention of increasing rural wages. 3. There is no revolutionary scheme for Dalits, Adivasis, backward classes, minorities, middle class and rural poor people like the one implemented by Congress-UPA. The word "poor" has become just a means of self-branding, there is nothing concrete! 4. There is nothing in this budget for women that would enhance their economic capacity and enable them to participate more and more in the workforce. 5. On the contrary, the government is patting its back on the back for rising inflation; it is robbing people of their hard-earned money and distributing it among its capitalist friends! 6. Less money has been spent on agriculture, health, education, public welfare and tribals than the budget allocation because these are not the priorities of the BJP. Similarly, Rs 1 lakh crore less has been spent on Capital Expenditure, so how will jobs increase? 7. Urban Development, Rural Development, Infrastructure, Manufacturing, MSME, Investment, EV scheme - only Document, Policy, Vision, Review etc. have been discussed, but no major announcement has been made. 8. Railway accidents are happening every day, trains have been stopped, the number of coaches has been reduced, ordinary passengers are troubled, but nothing has been said about the railways in the budget, there is no accountability. 9. Nothing has been said about Census and caste census, whereas this is the fifth budget which is being presented without Census! This is a shocking and unprecedented failure - which is against democracy and the Constitution! 10. On 20 May 2024, i.e. during the elections, Modi ji claimed in an interview that "We already have a 100-day action plan "... When the Action Plan was there two months ago, they should have at least told it in the budget! There is no plan in the budget and BJP is only busy in the action of cheating the public.” <div type="twitter" handle="kharge" handlename="kharge" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1815669463284416605"></div> <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111917247" title="Budget 2024: Can Lakhpati Didi Yojana’s reality inspire better focus on women?" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><h2>Jairam Ramesh accuses Centre of stealing ideas from the Congress</h2>In her Budget address, Sitharaman announced that the government would provide a month's wage to all first-time employees in formal sectors. This direct benefit transfer, disbursed in three installments, will cover employees registered with the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) and amount up to ₹15,000 per individual. The eligibility limit is set at ₹1 lakh per month, potentially benefiting 2.1 crore youth across the country. Congress MP and communications in charge Jairam Ramesh also accused the Finance Minister of taking ideas from the Congress's "Nyay Patra 2024." He claimed the internship program announced in the budget was a clear adaptation of the Congress's proposed Apprenticeship Program called "Pehli Naukri Pakki." He also insinuated that this particular scheme seemed to have been come up with in haste. <div type="twitter" handle="jairam_ramesh" handlename="jairam_ramesh" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1815714388340568111"></div>Ramesh critiqued the government's approach, describing it as a "festive offer" designed to capture headlines with arbitrary targets, such as the promise of one crore internships. He argued that the Congress's vision offered a programmatic guarantee for all diploma holders and graduates, rather than the broad and unfocused targets announced by the government. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111944393" title="Here&amp;#39;s a quick overview of PM Modi 3.0 government&amp;#39;s first budget, to be presented by FM Nirmala Sitharaman today" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Ramesh also pointedly criticised the government over a special package for Andhra Pradesh, highlighting a ₹15,000 crore allocation aimed at developing Amaravati, the state's capital city and a significant project for Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. "Why has it taken 10 years to announce that what was already committed to in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 will be implemented?" questioned Ramesh in a post on X.

From ‘Copycat’ to ‘Kursi Bachao Budget' — Here’s what Rahul and other Congress leaders had to say about Budget 2024

New Delhi, The <keyword id="19908389" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Budget" source="keywords">Union Budget</keyword> for 2024-25 will provide Rs 1.48 lakh crore for <keyword id="19907717" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="education" source="keywords">education</keyword>, <keyword id="19898684" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="employment" source="keywords">employment</keyword> and skilling in the country. Presenting the <keyword id="19936553" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Budget" source="keywords">Budget</keyword> in the Lok Sabha, Finance Minister <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> said it will focus on employment, skilling, MSMEs and the middle class. She added that the government has extended the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana for five years which is benefiting 80 crore people of the country. As mentioned in interim budget, there is a need to focus on poor, women, youth and farmers, the minister said. She added that people have given unique opportunity to the Modi government to take India on the path of strong development, and all-round prosperity. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/union-budget-2024-live-updates-finance-minister-nirmala-sitharaman-key-announcements-23-july/liveblog/111942008.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/union-budget-2024-live-updates-finance-minister-nirmala-sitharaman-key-announcements-23-july/liveblog/111942008.cms" target="_blank">Union Budget 2024 Live Updates: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to present her record seventh consecutive Budget today</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/expectations-from-union-budget-2024-25-how-will-this-budget-impact-you/articleshow/111946291.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/expectations-from-union-budget-2024-25-how-will-this-budget-impact-you/articleshow/111946291.cms" target="_blank">Union Budget 2024-25: How will this budget impact you?</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/heres-a-quick-overview-of-pm-modi-3-0-governments-first-budget-to-be-presented-by-fm-nirmala-sitharaman-today/articleshow/111944393.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/heres-a-quick-overview-of-pm-modi-3-0-governments-first-budget-to-be-presented-by-fm-nirmala-sitharaman-today/articleshow/111944393.cms" target="_blank">Here's a quick overview of PM Modi 3.0 government's first budget, to be presented by FM Nirmala Sitharaman today</a>

Budget provides ₹1.48 lakh crore for education, employment, skill: FM

<ul class="summary-list"><li>European farmers have blocked roads and sprayed government buildings with manure in recent weeks.</li><li>They're rallying against the European Union's "Green Deal" and soaring inflation.</li></ul>Europe's farmers aren't happy — and they're using tractors, tires and manure to show it.In recent weeks they've been taking to the streets over a string of grievances, including the European Union's efforts to go climate-neutral and high inflation that's pushed up their costs.As well as protests in the center of cities such as Paris and Barcelona, farmers have blocked major roads with their tractors and even taken to setting hay bales alight and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.france24.com/en/video/20240125-en-grab-french-farmers">spraying liquid manure</a> at government buildings to show their displeasure.<div type="image" title="Farmers have captured France's attention by showering government offices with manure and besieging Paris with traffic-snarling barricades of tractors and hay bales." height="5623" width="8435" msid="107556138" hostid="261" sizebytes="2258940"></div><h2>What are the farmers angry about?</h2>The main source of discontent is the <a target="_blank" href="https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_en">Green Deal</a>, the European Union's initiative to make Europe "climate neutral" by 2050.Russia's invasion of Ukraine almost two years ago fueled double-digit inflation across the continent, with the cost of everything from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pope-francis-global-food-crisis-russia-black-sea-grain-deal-2023-7">grain</a> to <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/diesel-prices-soar-supply-crisis-gas-station-rationing-inflation-2022-5">diesel</a> soaring.Farmers say their profits aren't high enough to justify investing in sustainable agriculture and say they need more help from the EU, despite it setting aside about $300 billion of aid over the next three years.<div type="image" title="Farmers in Italy protest the EU's agricultural policies." height="5122" width="7682" msid="107556140" hostid="261" sizebytes="1365856"></div>They're also rallying against the EU decision to sign free-trade agreements with other countries, including New Zealand, <a target="_blank" href="https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2024/02/08/could-the-eus-trade-deal-with-kenya-strengthen-the-african-continental-free-trade-area/">Kenya</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-29/macron-asks-eu-s-von-der-leyen-to-stop-mercosur-trade-deal">South America's Mercosur group</a>, arguing that those deals will allow overseas farmers to undercut their prices.<h2>How are they protesting?</h2>Protesters across the continent have marched under banners reading "no farmers, no food" to show their opposition to the EU's agricultural policies.Last week, the situation escalated when farmers from Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, and Greece all gathered at the European Parliament in Brussels where they <a target="_blank" href="https://time.com/6632372/farmer-protests-europe-france-germany-brussels/">set bonfires and hurled eggs</a> at EU offices.<div type="image" title="Farmers gather to protest outside the European Parliament in Brussels." height="3335" width="5000" msid="107556144" hostid="261" sizebytes="706576"></div>Over the past few days, further protests have broken out in Barcelona, where tractors have <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/spanish-farmers-blockade-roads-second-day-against-eu-policies-2024-02-07/">clogged up key roads</a>, and Cyprus, where farmers <a target="_blank" href="https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/farmers-rev-up-tractors-in-protest-against-eu-agricultural-policies">took to the streets</a> for the third time in eight months.They've also dumped tires on roads in France to demand government aid worth hundreds of millions of euros.<div type="image" title="Tires dumped on a road in Vesoul, eastern France." height="683" width="1024" msid="107556148" hostid="261" sizebytes="117402"></div><h2>How has the EU responded?</h2>The EU said Wednesday that it would scrap plans to force farmers to halve their pesticide use by 2030 — one contentious element of the Green Deal.It's also tweaked the constraints imposed by a key nature-restoration policy and punted on a requirement to force farmers to leave more of their land fallow.<div type="image" title="Farmers in Strasbourg protest the EU's anti-pesticides proposal." height="4002" width="6000" msid="107556150" hostid="261" sizebytes="572368"></div>But EU president Ursula von der Leyden has doubled down on plans to cut emissions by 90% by 2040, suggesting that she's gearing up for a longer-term fight with the agricultural sector. Politicians have been reluctant to join her in that battle.French president Emmanuel Macron has publicly rebuked the EU deal with Mercosur, likely in a bid to quell protests at home, while right-wing leaders like Hungary's Viktor Orban have stoked tensions in a bid to boost their anti-green and anti-EU credentials."The government stands together with the farmers and not against them," Cyprus' agriculture minister Maria Panayiotou said this week after protests broke out in the capital, Nicosia.Farming subsidies accounted for almost a third of the EU's budget in 1980, but that proportion has now fallen to just under a quarter.

Angry European farmers are blocking freeways with tractors and spraying manure on buildings over green push

<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/one-planet"></a><div type="image" title="Konda Mason with farm manager Myles Gaines" height="720" width="960" msid="104245034" hostid="261" sizebytes="119104"></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>Jubilee Justice is a cooperative that helps Black farming communities practice regenerative agriculture.</li><li>The organization harkens back to the legacy of practices used in the 19th and 20th centuries.</li><li>Between 1910 and 1997, Black farmers lost around 90% of their property in the US.</li></ul>Konda Mason has always understood the importance of land.Her grandfather left Alabama in the middle of the night when her dad was a baby, afraid he was going to be lynched because he owned property and a provision store. He left his land, abandoned the store, and took his family to California, where Mason eventually grew up."I've had that story," Mason told Insider. "I know that we had land once, and I grew up landless, completely landless."Her grandparents still owned a small plot of land in California, less than a quarter of an acre, to grow food like collard greens and tomatoes and raise livestock to remain food secure. When Mason's mother died, her ashes were sprinkled among the collard patch.The tradition of growing food is one that Mason has continued, maintaining a garden in every home she's lived in. Today, she's the president and cofounder of <a href="https://www.jubileejustice.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jubilee Justice</a>, a cooperative of Black farmers and an organization that helps Black farming communities practice regenerative and sustainable agriculture."I always said when I grow up, I want to be a farmer. People thought I was kidding — I really wasn't," Mason said.<div type="image" title="Konda Mason with rice businessman Robert Bimba and Jubilee Justice SRI advisor Erica Styger" height="768" width="1024" msid="104245035" hostid="261" sizebytes="96844"></div><h2>Returning to the land</h2>Even though land was such a large part of Mason's family story, she said she didn't fully grasp how central it was to every conversation about race and money until later in life.In 2018, Mason began a project called <a href="https://www.jubileejustice.org/jubilee-journeys-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jubilee Journeys</a> — a series of conversations that bring together white participants who are financially well-off with spiritual and thought leaders from communities of color to promote racial healing and speak about the ways capital should be used and redistributed. She started these meetups hoping to talk through <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/henry-blodget-better-capitalism-1-2018">alternatives to extractive capitalism</a>."And then I realized it was about land," Mason said. It sparked the four pillars that now guide her work: land, race, money, and spirit.One of the attendees to the first Journey in California was a woman named Elisabeth Keller."The first thing out of her mouth was, 'I'm a white woman whose family owns a former plantation in Louisiana,'" Mason said. Keller's family had owned the roughly 3,000-acre Inglewood Farm property in Alexandria since her grandfather bought it in the 1920s."She wanted to kill what happened on this land, both to the land, which was very toxic, filled with chemicals," Mason said. "And then what happened with the people here. It was a cotton plantation." After the Civil War, formerly enslaved people and their descendants continued to work as sharecroppers on the plantation.Mason suggested hosting the next Journeys conversation at Inglewood as a way to promote healing. The meeting was a success, leading to another the following year. At one of these discussions, an agricultural attorney talked openly about the plight of Black farmers."I was so moved and it touched such a deep place, I just kept that in my heart," Mason said.<div type="image" title="Donna Isaacs, a permaculture farmer and a member of Jubilee Justice" height="4032" width="3024" msid="104245037" hostid="261" sizebytes="1875334"></div>Up until this point, Mason had no background in farming. But three months later, at a conference in New York, Mason ran into Caryl Levine, the cofounder of the organic rice company Lotus Foods. She became fascinated with Levine's sustainable approach to rice farming. Levine had adopted an agriculture-management method known as the <a href="http://sri.ciifad.cornell.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">System of Rice Intensification</a>, which uses up to 50% less water, requires up to 90% less seed, and can result in 20% to 100% more yield.Crucially, this method also reduces methane emissions. Rice production is responsible for 10% of <a href="https://earth.org/system-of-rice-intensification/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">global methane emissions</a>. At the time, most of Lotus Foods' work was happening in Asia and Africa. Levine opened up about her desire to create a domestic supply chain of farmers in the US. Ideas began to converge."I said to her, 'What about Black farmers?'" Mason said. Two weeks later, she was on a Zoom call making plans. The newly formed Jubilee Justice Rice Project would be centered on Inglewood Farm, what Mason describes as "the belly of the beast.""This is where the worst of the worst has happened," Mason said, referring to the history of slavery on the plantation. "The universe just really has this interesting way of bringing me here to this land."<h2>Land loss</h2>Rice isn't the only crop producing methane. In 2021, agriculture <a href="https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accounted for 10%</a> of all greenhouse-gas emissions in the US. Modern-day farming practices release methane and carbon dioxide from the soil, contributing to increased warming. Livestock, especially cows, produce methane as they digest grass and grains.Nature is meant to be symbiotic. The insects and microbes that live in the soil capture carbon and convert it into organic material. But with the mass use of herbicides and pesticides, these beneficial organisms are killed off.The use of agrochemicals such as fertilizers began in the 1960s and resulted in dramatically higher crop yields, changing farming practices. Average <a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/publications/43854/46734_eib124.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">corn yield rose</a> from 20 bushels per acre in 1940 to 150 bushels per acre by the early 2000s, partially due to pesticides and fertilizers. In that same period of time, cotton yields increased fourfold and soybean yields by threefold.But as pests began to adapt to these chemicals, more agrochemicals continued to be introduced, leading to more environmental damage.The 20th century also changed the demographics of farmers in the US.In 1920, there were nearly <a href="https://agcensus.library.cornell.edu/wp-content/uploads/1920-Farm_Statistics_By_Color_and_Tenure.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1 million</a> Black farmers in the United States, accounting for 14% of all farmers. Today, there are <a href="https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/Highlights/2019/2017Census_Farm_Producers.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fewer than 50,000</a> — just 2% of all farmers in the country are Black.During the Jim Crow era, white landowners began intimidating Black farmers into abandoning their land. Violent, racist attacks led many Black farmers to flee the South as a part of the Great Migration. The federal government also practiced discrimination and intimidation tactics. A 1999 class-action lawsuit against the US Department of Agriculture claimed that the agency racially discriminated against Black farmers in distributing farm loans, forcing many of them into foreclosure. Per the settlement agreement, the USDA has paid or credited around <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-farmers-pigford/black-farmers-win-1-25-billion-in-discrimination-suit-idUSTRE61H5XD20100218" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$1 billion to Black farmers</a>, making it one of the largest civil-rights settlements in US history.The payout, however, was a drop in the ocean compared to the impact that land loss had on the racial wealth divide over the next century.In 1910, Black farmers owned between <a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/publications/46984/19353_ra174h_1_.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">16 to 19 million acres</a> of land, according to the Census of Agriculture. But between 1910 and 1997, Black farmers lost around 90% of their property, while white farmers only lost 2% during the same time period.One <a href="https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/pandp.20221015" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a> estimated that land loss cost Black farmers around $326 billion.<h2>A regenerative future</h2>Through Jubilee Justice, Mason wants to reclaim some of that history. She hopes to create a platform that addresses economic and racial equity for Black farmers, while also encouraging sustainable agriculture. The farmers who are a part of the Jubilee Justice network all emphasize regenerative, sustainable, organic forms of agriculture. Regenerative agriculture aims to work with nature rather than against it by rejuvenating soil health, boosting biodiversity, and developing practices that are climate resilient. Many of these farming practices were developed by Indigenous communities prior to the Industrial Revolution.The farmers in Jubilee Justice come from different backgrounds — some were raised on family farms while others built upon their interest in climate activism. <div type="image" title="Grand opening of the Jubilee Justice rice mill" height="1443" width="1920" msid="104245038" hostid="261" sizebytes="198200"></div>Recently, they built a rice mill that they own as a cooperative. For Mason, being able to own the means of production is critical."That's one of the ways that they kill Black farmers and take their land — they will have a contract and then next thing you know they reneg on that contract," Mason said of relying too heavily on external vendors and manufacturers. "Most people are one season away from bankruptcy."Jubilee Justice builds upon a legacy of Black farmer <a href="https://www.rd.usda.gov/files/RR194.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cooperatives</a>. In the 19th century, after the Southern Farmers' Alliance refused to admit Black farmers except in certain chapters, Black farmers started the Colored Farmers' National Alliance and Co-operative Union. By 1891, they had over a million members. Following the civil-rights movement in the 1960s, there was a renewed interest in farming cooperatives.By emphasizing cooperative economics, Mason hopes to move away from the mindset of hyper-individualism that capitalism values and to show Black farmers that if they rely on each other, the whole community can succeed together.To Mason, land is sacred. Mason reflected back to her years giving eco tours in the Ecuadorian Amazon."Every time I left, I would be in tears," she said. "I didn't want to go. I didn't want to leave it. I knew that it was in danger. It's such an impact to spend time in the rainforest and to understand this planet and how precious and beautiful it is.""I am just bent on leaving as much of a legacy as I possibly can and everything that I touch to come from a place of a regenerative mindset," she said.

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