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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?

The technology platform for providing "<keyword id="22918315" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="frictionless-credit" source="keywords">frictionless credit</keyword>" launched by the <keyword id="19899810" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reserve-Bank-of-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Reserve Bank of India" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Reserve Bank of India">Reserve Bank of India</keyword> (<keyword id="19899808" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="RBI" source="keywords">RBI</keyword>) last year as a pilot project will soon be introduced nationwide soon, said Reserve Banks of India Governor, <keyword id="19913110" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shaktikanta-das" source="keywords">Shaktikanta Das</keyword> on Monday. This technology platform will be named "<keyword id="22918314" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Unified-Lending-Interface" source="keywords">Unified Lending Interface</keyword> (ULI)", Das said while speaking in Bengaluru at the event of the Global Conference on Digital Public Infrastructure and Emerging Technologies. Governor Das said "Just like <keyword id="19900911" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="UPI" source="keywords">UPI</keyword> transformed the payments ecosystem, we expect that ULI will play a similar role in transforming the lending space in India. The 'new trinity' of JAM-UPI-ULI will be a revolutionary step forward in India's <keyword id="20018890" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-infrastructure" source="keywords">digital infrastructure</keyword> journey." The ULI platform facilitates a seamless and consent-based flow of digital information, including even land records of various states, from multiple data service providers to lenders. The technology platform introduced last year as a pilot projects cuts down the time taken for credit appraisal, especially for small and rural borrowers. Das stated that the ULI architecture has common and standardised APIs, designed for a 'plug and play' approach to ensure digital access to information from diverse sources. "This reduces the complexity of multiple technical integrations. It enables borrowers to get the benefit of seamless delivery of credit, and quicker turnaround time without requiring extensive documentation. By digitising access to customer's financial and non-financial data that otherwise resided in disparate silos, ULI is expected to cater to large unmet demand for credit across various sectors, particularly for agricultural and MSME borrowers," the RBI governor stated. Showing confidence in the newly launched ULI, Das said, "Just like UPI transformed the payments ecosystem, "we expect that ULI will play a similar role in transforming the lending space in India." Speaking about the success of Unified Payment Interface (UPI) Das said, "The current ecosystem of digital payments in India offers a bouquet of simple, safe, and secure options for instant or quick transfer of funds, both large and small value, for businesses and individuals." Das further stated stated that the apex bank is consistently trying to secure the financial system in the country. "We are constantly working on devising policies, approaches, systems and platforms that will make our financial sector stronger, nimble and customer-centric," Das said. Additionally, Das also highlighted that the central bank is constantly working on devising policies, systems, and platforms that will make the financial sector stronger, nimble and customer-centric. Das said that over the last decade, the traditional banking system has undergone an unprecedented technological transformation. By all indications, this process is likely to become even more intense in the coming years, he said. On the country's experience in DPI, he said, "DPI has enabled India to achieve in less than a decade levels of financial inclusion that would have otherwise taken several decades or even more" He also emphasised that UPI system has the potential to evolve into a cheaper and quicker alternative to available channels of cross-border remittances. The Governor also stressed that financial institutions should be abundantly mindful of associated risks of Artificial Intelligence.

After UPI, RBI set to launch Unified Lending Interface (ULI) for friction-less credit

<keyword id="19955404" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="finance" source="keywords">Finance</keyword> Minister <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nirmala-sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> presented the Union <keyword id="19936553" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="budget" source="keywords">Budget</keyword> 2024-25 on Tuesday, outlining a detailed financial roadmap aimed at driving economic growth and ensuring fiscal stability. The budget reveals a comprehensive picture of government revenues and expenditures, highlighting major <keyword id="20439675" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="allocations" source="keywords">allocations</keyword> to key <keyword id="20353247" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sectors" source="keywords">sectors</keyword> and <keyword id="19915334" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="schemes" source="keywords">schemes</keyword>. The <keyword id="19945274" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="revenue" source="keywords">revenue</keyword> to the government is generated from multiple sectors. Income tax contributes 19 per cent, borrowings and liabilities stand as the largest source at 27 per cent, and <keyword id="19951327" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gst" source="keywords">GST</keyword> along with other taxes accounts for 18 per cent. Corporation taxes contribute 17 per cent, followed by non-tax receipts at 9 per cent, customs at 4 per cent, excise duty at 5 per cent, and non-debt capital receipts at 1 per cent. On the <keyword id="19936655" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="expenditure" source="keywords">expenditure</keyword> side, the budget outlines significant allocations to various public sectors. Interest payments consume 19 per cent of the total expenditure, central sector schemes account for 16 per cent, and states' tax devolution takes up 21 per cent. Subsidies represent 6 per cent of the spending, while defence expenditures stand at 8 per cent. The Finance Commission and other transfers take up 9 per cent, centrally sponsored schemes another 8 per cent, pensions 4 per cent, and other expenses 9 per cent. In terms of sector-specific allocations, defence receives the highest allocation at Rs 4,54,773 crore. Rural development is allocated Rs 2,65,808 crore, reflecting the government's focus on boosting rural economies. Agriculture is set to receive Rs 1,51,851 crore, while home affairs are allocated Rs 1,50,983 crore, underscoring the importance of internal security. Education, a critical sector for future growth, is allocated Rs 1,25,638 crore. The IT and Telecom sector, pivotal for digital transformation, receives Rs 1,16,342 crore. Health is allocated Rs 89,287 crore, emphasising the ongoing commitment to improving healthcare infrastructure. The energy sector is earmarked Rs 68,769 crore, social welfare Rs 56,501 crore, and commerce and industry Rs 47,559 crore. The budget also highlights significant increases in allocations to major schemes. The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) sees an increase from Rs 60,000 crore in FY23-24 to Rs 86,000 crore in FY24-25, aimed at enhancing rural employment. Nuclear power projects receive a boost from Rs 442 crore to Rs 2,228 crore, while the development of semiconductors sees a substantial increase from Rs 3,000 crore to Rs 6,900 crore, underscoring the push towards technological advancement. Direct Benefit Transfer for LPG is allocated Rs 1,500 crore, up from Rs 180 crore, to support energy access. Solar power allocation doubles from Rs 4,970 crore to Rs 10,000 crore, reflecting the government's commitment to renewable energy. This budget, with its detailed allocations and revenue plans, underscores the government's strategy to foster economic resilience, technological advancement, and sustainable growth.

Fund allocations to key sectors and schemes hiked in budget

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="736063" type="General" weightage="60" keywordseo="green-infrastructure" source="Orion">Green infrastructure</keyword> can help <keyword id="6399501" type="General" weightage="60" keywordseo="cities" source="Orion">cities</keyword> solve climate problems and promote the health of residents.</li><li>Things like urban greenery can also offer environmental, social, and economic benefits to a city.</li></ul>Setting ordinances to build more green roofs, planting trees and native plants, and designing community green spaces are just a few ways that many cities are investing in green infrastructure to solve climate-related problems and promote the health of residents. Expanding <a href="https://www.epa.gov/green-infrastructure/performance-green-infrastructure">greenery in urban areas</a>, for example, helps cities manage stormwater, reduce energy use, improve air quality, enhance the quality of life of residents, reduce the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/green-infrastructure/reduce-urban-heat-island-effect">urban heat island effect</a>, and boost local economies. <div type="image" title="headshot of Gail Hansen" height="1620" width="2160" msid="90573725" hostid="261"></div>"A lot of cities are becoming more concerned with environmental stressors that climate change is bringing," such as sea-level rise, saltwater intrusion, and more intense tornadoes and storms, <a href="https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/faculty-profiles/gail-hansen/">Gail Hansen</a>, an associate professor at the University of Florida's Environmental Horticulture Department, told Insider."One big trend is resilient city plans, and using green infrastructure is a big part of those plans to protect cities from these stressors," she added. Last year, 31 mayors of cities, including Los Angeles, New Orleans, Seattle, and Austin, signed the <a href="https://www.c40.org/declarations/urban-nature-declaration/">C40 Urban Nature Declaration</a> to show their commitment to green infrastructure. The cities pledged to convert up to 40% of city surfaces to green or blue, that's water-related features, infrastructure by 2030 — including trees, urban forests, <keyword id="6516786" type="General" weightage="60" keywordseo="ponds" source="Orion">ponds</keyword>, and <keyword id="6364482" type="General" weightage="60" keywordseo="parks" source="Orion">parks</keyword> with sustainable drainage systems — and ensure that 70% of their residents have access to green or blue public areas, such as wetlands or ponds, within a 15-minute walk or bike ride. "Cities have to be very future thinking," Hansen said. Those invested in green infrastructure can become environmentally healthier and more resilient, which provides opportunities for residents and economies to thrive. <h2>Green roofs and other infrastructure are becoming a focus for cities </h2>One green-infrastructure trend is a <a href="https://www.epa.gov/soakuptherain/soak-rain-green-roofs">green roof</a>, which is a layer of vegetation planted over a waterproofing system atop a building. Plants absorb rainwater, preventing it from running off the roof's surface and potentially causing flooding. <div type="image" title="man standing in a green forest" height="488" width="651" msid="90573726" hostid="261"></div>"Cities are seeing their green roofs as an opportunity to provide a variety of infrastructure benefits to help us future-proof our cities against climate change," said <a href="https://greenroofs.org/steven-peck">Steven Peck</a>, the founder and president of <a href="http://www.greenroofs.org">Green Roofs for Healthy Cities</a>.The benefits include providing shade, cutting a building's energy use, and reducing the surrounding air and surface temperatures, according to the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/using-green-roofs-reduce-heat-islands">US Environmental Protection Agency</a>. Green-roof temperatures can be up to 40 degrees Fahrenheit lower than traditional roofs and reduce citywide temperatures by about five degrees. Managing heat islands creates more equitable communities, as low-income areas tend to suffer most from overheating, which results in poorer air quality and diminished health, Peck added. Chicago has been a <a href="http://wendycitychicago.com/chicago-green-roofs/">leader in green-roof installations</a> in the US, with <a href="https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dcd/supp_info/chicago_green_roofs.html">more than 500</a> such roofs in the city. <a href="https://sfplanning.org/project/better-roofs">San Francisco</a>, <a href="https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/buildings/pdf/green_roof_solar_ll92-n-94of2019_sn.pdf">New York City</a>, and <a href="https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/7eb7-Toronto-Green-Roof-Construction-Standard-Supplementary-Guidelines.pdf">Toronto</a> also have ordinances requiring green roofs for some new and renovated buildings. Peck said green roofing that incorporates biodiversity — where plants are used to attract insects, birds, and wildlife — is an emerging trend. The <a href="https://javitscenter.com/en/sustainability/">green roof at the Javits Center</a> in New York is an example, as it's home to honeybees and several species of birds and bats. Biodiversity in other green spaces <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.13475">encourages wildlife habits</a> and promotes cleaner air and water, Hansen said. Some projects feature native plants to strengthen the local ecosystems, and trees and urban forests boost biodiversity and provide tree-canopy coverage. <a href="https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/3633">Biophilic design</a> is also being incorporated in green landscaping projects, Hansen said. Biophilia refers to people's innate need for nature, and Hansen said city governments see adding parks, walking and biking trails, and greenery that are all easily accessible as a way to boost residents' physical and mental health. "A lot of cities are thinking about ways to create opportunities for people to have more recreational spaces where they can interact with nature, even if it's a little pocket park," she said. "They're also looking at how these landscapes can meet the needs of diverse cultures in a community." Phoenix, St. Louis, Miami, and Washington, DC, are some of the metros that are part of the <a href="https://www.biophiliccities.org/partner-cities">Biophilic Cities network</a>, showing their commitment to improving the connection between residents and nature. <h2>Green infrastructure offers environmental, social, and economic benefits</h2>Urban greenery filters air and water, which makes communities healthier, Hansen said. Research showed that increasing access to green spaces <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lanplh/PIIS2542-5196(19)30215-3.pdf">decreased mortality</a>, and that urban green spaces <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-46099-7">reduced stress</a> and improved mental and physical health. Green infrastructure also boosts local economies by encouraging tourism dollars and attracting developers. Buildings with green roofs, for example, eliminate problems like flooding and excess heat, and they add recreational space. Peck said adding amenities and making properties more sustainable could increase property values and attract residents and businesses. Transforming old industrial structures and sites, such as abandoned rail systems, into parks could help cities revitalize areas and drive economic development, Hansen said. She cited New York's <a href="https://www.thehighline.org/">High Line</a>, a linear park and trail system built on a former railroad line, as an example. Some of the challenges cities face in implementing these projects include funding, stakeholder and community buy-in, and outdated city codes and ordinances, Hansen said. She added that some were overcoming the challenges by creating public-private partnerships and using data to show how green infrastructure benefits the city and its residents. Still, incorporating green infrastructure into their resiliency plans is imperative for cities, she said, adding, "It's almost become a must-have for cities to figure out how they're going to weather — no pun intended — a lot of these big issues."

How investing in green infrastructure helps cities manage the effects of the climate crisis and creates healthy communities

<ul><li>The government of India has decided to set up a dedicated fund for agritech startups.</li><li>The finance minister also mentioned that the government intends to pay ₹2.7 lakh crore worth of MSP.</li><li>Like other sectors, the finance ministry has also proposed to further incorporate drones into the agriculture sector.</li></ul>The government of India has decided to set up a dedicated fund for agritech startups, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said while announcing the union budget for the year 2022-23. “A fund with blended capital, raised under the co-investment model, will be facilitated through NABARD. This is to finance startups for agriculture &amp; rural enterprise, relevant for farm produce value chain. The activities for these startups will include, inter alia, support for FPOs, machinery for farmers on rental basis at farm level, and technology including IT-based support,” Sitharaman said. The finance minister also mentioned that the government intends to pay ₹2.7 lakh crore worth of minimum support price (MSP) direct payments to wheat and paddy farmers. Besides this, the government is also looking to deploy drones for agriculture monitoring, crop assessment, digitisation of land records and spraying of insect pesticides. The share price of Zen Technologies — a publicly listed company that works on drone detection, classification and tracking — <a href="https://stocktwits.com/Dhwani1105/message/432213049">spiked </a>after the Sitharaman made this announcement. <div type="image" title="Dhwani Agri post" msid="89278267" hostid="261"></div> While the company doesn’t have agricultural operations, the spike of its shares was related to the wider scope of drones. “Startups will be promoted to facilitate Drone Shakti through varied applications and for a drone as a service," Sitharaman added. “The budget has covered multiple avenues for the drone industry to rise, the focus on promoting Agricultural Drones and the NABARD fund to support startups will result in ensuring that the Drone Industry reaches a new milestone. The development of 100 new cargo terminals in the next 3 years will also add to the growth of Drones enabled for cargo deliveries within the terminals and terminals to delivery locations,” Swapnik Jakkampuddi, cofounder of Skye Air Mobility, said. SEE ALSO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/economic-survey-2022-highlights-that-delhi-not-bengaluru-is-the-startup-capital-of-india/articleshow/89249128.cms">Delhi, not Bengaluru, is the startup capital of India, says Economic Survey</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/indias-defence-budget-allocation-as-per-experts/slidelist/89250030.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Allocation for India's defence may see a nominal increase</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/the-government-is-expected-to-announce-1-3-lakh-crore-for-railways-under-the-national-infrastructure-pipeline/articleshow/89256692.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">The government is expected to announce ₹1.3 lakh crore for railways under the national infrastructure pipeline</a>

A fund for agritech startup, inclusion of drones to boost Indian farming

<keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> has embraced technology in every field of activity. It is adopting smart farming methods through technology and innovation in the agriculture sector and this may prove to be a game changer in the days to come by substantially raising farmers income. How is this method beneficial? Smart farming involves the application of sensors and automated irrigation practices. It can help monitor agricultural land, temperature and soil moisture. This would enable farmers to monitor crops from anywhere. Moreover, smart farming can help integrate digital and physical infrastructures, which would benefit small farmers. Agri-based startups can reach out to the farmers and help them gain access to such viable and cost-effective solutions. Agri-based, tech-driven startups have been very innovative in assisting farmers and revolutionising farming techniques. They have also addressed one of the most powerful headwinds (climate change) through climate-smart farming. In a unique move, the Indian government is implementing a <keyword id="12166469" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Digital-Agriculture-Mission" source="Orion">Digital Agriculture Mission</keyword> (DAM), which includes India Digital Ecosystem of Agriculture (IDEA), Farmers' Database, Unified Farmers Service Interface (UFSI), funding to the states on the new technology (NeGPA), revamping <keyword id="3182679" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mahalanobis-National-Crop-Forecast-Centre" source="Orion">Mahalanobis National Crop Forecast Centre</keyword> (MNCFC), Soil Health, Fertility and profile mapping. According to a report published by the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) in 2019, there were more than 450 argi-based tech-driven startups in India as of 2019. This number has skyrocketed in the last two years as the sector witnessed a surge in investments and funding. Agri-based tech-driven startups have been very innovative in assisting farmers and revolutionising farming techniques. They have also addressed one of the most powerful headwinds (climate change) through climate-smart farming. Under the NeGPA programme funding is given to the governments in various Indian states for Digital Agriculture projects using emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), Internet of Things (IOT), Block chain etc. Adoption of drone technologies is being done too. To promote smart farming, the government promotes startups in the agriculture sector and nurtures agri-entrepreneurs. The 'Per Drop More Crop' component of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sichai Yojana (PMKSY-PDMC) aims to increase water use efficiency at the farm level through micro irrigation technologies like drip and sprinkler irrigation systems. PMKSY is a scheme initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The <keyword id="87560" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Council-of-Agricultural-Research" source="Orion">Indian Council of Agricultural Research</keyword> (ICAR) promotes innovation, extension and education in agriculture. A total of 1,575 field crop varieties were released for different agricultural crops during 2014-21. During 2014-21, 91.43 crore agri-advisories were provided to farmers through mobiles. ICAR developed 187 mobile apps on different farm and farmer related services during 2014-21. The agriculture sector plays a vital role in enriching India's economy. Agriculture accounted for almost 17.8 per cent of India's Gross Value Added (GVA) in 2019- 20. According to the World Bank's collection of development indicators, employment rate in the Indian agriculture sector stood at 41.5 per cent in 2020. From a socio-economic standpoint, agriculture is a vital sector which requires focus and awareness at all levels. According to India Brand Equity Foundation, the rising population and changing diets have created a huge pressure on land in India. Farmers are struggling to keep up as crop yields level off, soil degradation rises, water shortage increases, biodiversity declines, and natural calamities become more frequent. Furthermore, agriculture accounts for almost 14 per cent of India's total greenhouse gas emissions. In the meantime, the NITI Aayog (erstwhile Planning Commission of India) conducted a study entitled "Efficacy of Minimum Support Prices on farmers", in 2016, which found, among other things, that MSP declared by the government has encouraged 78 per cent of the farmers covered under the study for adopting improved methods of farming such as high yielding varieties of seeds, organic manure, chemical fertilizer, pesticides and improved methods of harvesting etc. Additionally, oilseeds, pulses and copra of Fair Average Quality (FAQ) are procured from registered farmers under Price Support Scheme of the umbrella scheme of Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA), as per its prescribed guidelines. The Indian national Budget for 2018-19 had announced the pre-determined principle to keep Minimum Support Price or MSP at levels of one-and-half times of the cost of production. Accordingly, government has increased the MSPs for all mandated Kharif (including wheat), Rabi and other commercial crops with a return of at least 50 per cent over all India weighted average cost of production from the agricultural year 2018-19. Moreover, India's National Crop Insurance Portal (NCIP) is the only source of enrolment for Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), on which farmer applications from various designated sources including banks/financial institutions are entered. Specific cut-off dates have been prescribed for enrolment of farmers, debit of premium, remittance of farmers' premium to concerned insurance company and uploading of data of farmers on NCIP. The <keyword id="603825" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ministry-of-Food-Processing-Industries" source="Orion">Ministry of Food Processing Industries</keyword> (MoFPI) has been incentivising setting of food processing industries through central sector umbrella scheme �Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY), Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industry (PLISFPI) and centrally sponsored scheme �PM Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme across all the country. Under scheme of creation of infrastructure for agro processing clusters, a component scheme of PMKSY, the scheme is aimed at development of modern infrastructure and common facilities to encourage entrepreneurs to set up food processing units based on cluster approach and also to create modern infrastructure for food processing closer to production areas and to provide integrated and complete preservation infrastructure facilitates from the farm gate to the consumer. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/india-must-pitch-for-rupee-as-dollar-distancing-might-be-finally-happening-sbi-ecowrap/articleshow/93513940.cms">India must pitch for Rupee as dollar distancing might be finally happening: SBI Ecowrap</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/snapchat-comes-to-india-with-exclusive-features-heres-how-much-it-costs-and-how-to-sign-up/articleshow/93513880.cms">Snapchat+ comes to India with exclusive features — here's how much it costs and how to sign up</a>

Smart farming can prove to be a game changer in the coming days

The number of undernourished people in <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> has declined in the last 15 years to 224.3 million in 2019-2021, according to a UN report, which also said that there are more obese adults and anaemic women in the <keyword id="6354507" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="world" source="Orion">world</keyword>'s second most populous country. The <keyword id="5004571" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="state-of-food-security-and-nutrition" source="Orion">State of Food Security and Nutrition</keyword> in the World 2022 report, issued on Wednesday by UN agencies <keyword id="397960" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="food-and-agriculture-organisation" source="Orion">Food and Agriculture Organisation</keyword> (FAO), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), UNICEF, <keyword id="49053" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="world-food-programme" source="Orion">World Food Programme</keyword> (WFP) and the <keyword id="6356311" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="world-health-organisation" source="Orion">World Health Organisation</keyword> (WHO), said that the number of people affected by hunger globally rose to as many as 828 million in 2021, an increase of about 46 million since 2020 and 150 million since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The report said that in India, the number of undernourished people declined to 224.3 million in 2019 21 from 247.8 million in 2004-06. It said that the number of children under 5 years of age who are stunted declined to 36.1 million in 2020 from 52.3 million in 2012, the number of children under five years of age who are overweight declined to 2.2 million in 2020 from three million in 2012. However, the number of obese adults in India, which has a population of over 1.38 billion, grew to 34.3 million in 2016 from 25.2 million in 2012 and the number of women aged 15 to 49 years affected by anaemia also grew to 187.3 million in 2019 from 171.5 million in 2012. The report added that the number of children up to 5 months of age exclusively breastfed touched 14 million in 2020 from 11.2 million in 2012. In percentage terms, the prevalence of undernourishment in the total population in India stood at 21.6 per cent in 2004-06 and declined to 16.3 per cent in 2019-21, the prevalence of stunting in children under 5 years of age declined to 30.9 per cent in 2020 from 41.7 per cent in 2012 and the prevalence of overweight children under five years of age was 1.9 per cent in 2020 from 2.4 per cent in 2012. The prevalence of obesity in India's adult population increased to 3.9 per cent in 2016 from 3.1 per cent in 2012 and anaemic women aged 15 to 49 years declined marginally from 53.2 per cent in 2012 to 53 per cent in 2019. The report also noted that in India, people who were unable to afford a healthy diet touched 973.3 million in 2020 or nearly 70.5 per cent, up from 948.6 million in 2019 (69.4 per cent). In 2017, about a billion people were unable to afford a healthy diet in India and this number has declined to 966.6 million in 2018. The report noted that subsidies to consumers provided in Lower- Income Countries and Middle-Income Countries most often take the form of in-kind or cash transfers under the social protection programmes. India and Indonesia, for example, provide substantial subsidies to final consumers under the Targeted Public Distribution System for grains in India, and the food assistance programme (BPNT) based on electronic vouchers for rice, in Indonesia, it said. The most prominent example of a (Lower-middle-income countries) LMIC is India, where the food and agricultural policy has historically focused on protecting consumers by ensuring affordable food prices, through export restrictions (on wheat, non-basmati rice, and milk, among others) and through marketing regulations around pricing and public procurement, public food stockholding and distribution of a vast range of agricultural commodities, it said. As such, farmers have constantly faced price disincentives in aggregate terms (negative NRPs). Input subsidies and expenditure on general services such as in R&amp;D and infrastructure have been widely used as a means of compensating them for the price disincentives generated by trade and market measures, and for boosting production and self-sufficiency in the country, it added. The report noted that after remaining relatively unchanged since 2015, the proportion of people affected by hunger jumped in 2020 and continued to rise in 2021, to 9.8 per cent of the world population. This compares with 8 per cent in 2019 and 9.3 per cent in 2020. World hunger rose in 2021, with around 2.3 billion people facing moderate or severe difficulty obtaining enough to eat -- and that was before the Ukraine war, which has sparked increases in the cost of grain, fertiliser and energy, according to the report. The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World paints a grim picture, based on 2021 data, saying the statistics should dispel any lingering doubts that the world is moving backwards in its efforts to end hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition in all its forms , it explained. It warned that the ongoing war in Ukraine, is disrupting supply chains and further affecting prices of grain, fertiliser and energy resulting in more price increases in the first half of 2022. At the same time, they said, more frequent and extreme climate events are also disrupting supply chains, especially in low-income countries. Ukraine and Russia together produced almost a third of the world's wheat and barley and half of its sunflower oil, while Russia and its ally Belarus are the world's No. 2 and 3 producers of potash, a key ingredient of fertiliser. Nearly 924 million people (11.7 per cent of the global population) faced food insecurity at severe levels, an increase of 207 million in two years. The gender gap in food insecurity continued to rise in 2021 --- 31.9 per cent of women in the world were moderately or severely food insecure, compared to 27.6 per cent of men --- a gap of more than 4 percentage points, compared with 3 percentage points in 2020. Almost 3.1 billion people could not afford a healthy diet in 2020, up 112 million from 2019, reflecting the effects of inflation in consumer food prices stemming from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures put in place to contain it. An estimated 45 million children under the age of five were suffering from wasting, the deadliest form of malnutrition, which increases children's risk of death by up to 12 times. Furthermore, 149 million children under the age of five had stunted growth and development due to a chronic lack of essential nutrients in their diets, while 39 million were overweight. This report repeatedly highlights the intensification of these major drivers of food insecurity and malnutrition: conflict, climate extremes and economic shocks, combined with growing inequalities, the heads of the five UN agencies wrote in this year's Foreword. The issue at stake is not whether adversities will continue to occur or not, but how we must take bolder action to build resilience against future shocks, it added. (By Yoshita Singh <keyword id="6355833" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="united-nations" source="Orion">United Nations</keyword>) SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/golden-girl-p-t-usha-becomes-the-eighth-keralite-to-be-honoured-with-a-rajya-sabha-nomination/articleshow/92716060.cms">Golden girl P.T. Usha becomes the eighth Keralite to be honoured with a Rajya Sabha nomination</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/rbis-moves-to-boost-forex-inflows-could-have-an-impact-on-domestic-borrowing-rates/articleshow/92715761.cms">RBI's moves to boost forex inflows could have an impact on domestic borrowing rates</a>

India has fewer undernourished people now but obesity and anaemia are on the rise

<ol><li>What is the Defence budget of India in 2020? Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's announced to keep a ₹4.71 lakh crore budget for Defence for FY 2020-21.</li><li>What is the <keyword id="122000" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="health-budget">Health budget</keyword> in 2020? The Finance Minister has announced a budget of ₹67,116 crore for Health sector during the <keyword id="8192304" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="union-budget-2020">Union Budget 2020</keyword> session.</li><li>What is the <keyword id="450079" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="education-budget">Education budget</keyword> in 2020? Education sector has been allocated ₹99,300 crore of the total budget for FY 2020-21. Finance Minister Sitharaman has proposed to launch Ind-SAT exam for Asian and African students. Out of the total share for Education, ₹3,000 crore is reserved for Skill Development.</li><li>What is the <keyword id="569470" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="income-tax-slab">income tax slab</keyword> for 2020? <keyword id="7836802" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Budget-2020">Budget 2020</keyword> lays down changes in the different tax slabs for FY 2020-21. There will be no tax levied on annual income upto ₹5 lakh. However, if you cross that threshold, then tax will be charged for income above ₹2.5 lakh. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.6em; box-shadow: none; width: 468pt; font-family: Merriweather; table-layout: fixed; padding-bottom: 10px !important; background-image: inherit !important; background-position: inherit !important; background-size: inherit !important; background-repeat: inherit !important; background-attachment: inherit !important; background-origin: inherit !important; background-clip: inherit !important;"><tbody><tr><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Income </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Previous Tax Rate </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">New Tax Rate </td></tr><tr><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Up to ₹2.5 lakh </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Nil </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Nil </td></tr><tr><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">₹2.5 lakh to ₹5 lakh </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">5% </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">5% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">₹5 lakh to ₹7.5 lakh </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">20% </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">10% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">₹7.5 lakh to ₹10 lakh </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">20% </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">15% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">₹10 lakh to ₹12.5 lakh </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">30% </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">20% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">₹12.5 lakh to ₹15 lakh </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">30% </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">25% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Above ₹15 lakh </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">30% </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">30% </td></tr></tbody></table></li><li>How much we can save under 80C in 2020? Union budget 2020 keeps the deduction upto ₹1.5 lakh under section 80C. This means the taxpayers can reduce upto ₹1.5 lakh from the total taxable income.</li><li>What is the total budget of India in 2020? The government has proposed to spend a total of ₹30.42 lakh crore in FY 2020-21, the expenditure figure was ₹27.86 lakh crore in FY 2019-20.</li><li>What is the <keyword id="572389" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Agriculture-Budget">Agriculture budget</keyword> in 2020? Agriculture, Irrigation and Farmers' welfare sectors have been allocated a budget of ₹1.60 lakh crore in FY 2020-21.</li><li>What is the budget for Swachh Bharat Mission in 2020? ₹12,300 crore has been allocated to Swachh Bharat Mission for the FY 2020-21.</li><li>What is the budget for Jal Jeevan Mission in 2020? ₹11,500 crore has been allocated to Jal Jivan Mission for FY 2020-21.</li><li>What is the budget for Textile industry in 2020? Union Budget 2020 allocates ₹1,400 crore to Textile industry for FY 2020-21.</li><li>What is the budget for Dept. of Industry and Commerce in 2020? ₹27,300 crore has been allocated for Dept. of Industry and Commerce in FY 2020-21.</li><li>What is the Railways budget for India in 2020? The government has proposed to spend ₹72,216 crore on Railways &amp; Transportation sectors in FY 2020-21. Railways budget has not been stated separately.</li><li>What is the Power &amp; Renewable budget in 2020? ₹22,000 crore has been allocated for Power &amp; Renewable sector for FY 2020-21.</li><li>What is the BharatNet Program budget in 2020? ₹6000 crore has been allocated to BharatNet Program during the Union Budget 2020 proposal. 1 Lakh Gram Panchayats to be linked with BharatNet in 2020.</li><li>What is the budget for Nutrition related plans in 2020? The government plans to spend ₹35,600 crore over Nutrition related plans in FY 2020-21.</li><li>What is the Tourism budget in 2020? ₹2,500 crore has been allocated to Culture &amp; Tourism sector for FY 2020-21.</li><li>What is the budget for Women centric programs in 2020? ₹28,600 crore has been allocated to Women centric programs in FY 2020-21.</li><li>What is the budget for Scheduled Tribes in 2020? ₹53,700 crore has been allocated for Scheduled Tribes in FY 2020-21.</li><li>What is the budget for Scheduled Castes &amp; OBCs in 2020? The government plans to spend ₹85,000 crore for Scheduled Castes &amp; OBCs in FY 2020-21.</li><li>What is the Pollution control budget in 2020? Union Budget 2020 proposes ₹4,400 crore for Pollution control during FY 2020-21. During the budget speech, Sitharaman advised to shut Thermal Power units if the emission levels went above limit. </li><li>What is the Transport budget in 2020? ₹1.7 lakh crore has been allocated for Transport Infrastructure for the upcoming Financial year.</li><li>What is the Senior Citizens' welfare budget in 2020? Union Budget 2020 keeps a budget of ₹9,500 crore for Handicapped and Senior Citizens' and welfare for FY 2020-21.</li><li>What is the Rural Development Budget in 2020? ₹1,22,398 crore have been allocated during this budget session to Rural Development and Panchayati Raj for FY 2020-21.</li></ol> SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/budget-2020-top-highlights-and-updates-from-finance-minister-nirmala-sitharaman/articleshow/73828229.cms">Budget 2020 Highlights</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/health-budget-2020-allocation-updates-and-news/articleshow/73830687.cms">Health Budget 2020</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/indias-education-budget-2020-allocation-news-and-updates/articleshow/73824561.cms">Education Budget 2020</a>

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