An ambitious Soil Health Card Scheme has been launched to improve soil fertility on a sustainable basis. In order to improve soil health, he also proposed to support Agiculture Ministry’s organic farming scheme – “Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana”. The Pradhanmantri Gram Sinchai Yojana is aimed at irrigating the field of every farmer and improving water use efficiency to provide `Per Drop More Crop’. He allocated ₹5,300 crore to support micro-irrigation, watershed development and the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana. He urged the States to chip in substantially in this vital sector.

To support the agriculture sector with the help of effective and hassle-free agriculture credit, with a special focus on small and marginal farmers, he proposed to allocate ₹25,000 crore in 2015-16 to the corpus of Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) set up in NABARD; ₹15,000 crore for Long Term Rural Credit Fund; ₹45,000 crore for Short Term Cooperative Rural Credit Refinance Fund; and ₹15,000 crore for Short Term RRB Refinance Fund.

Farm credit underpins the efforts of our hard-working farmers. Recognising this fact, he has set up an ambitious target of ₹8.5 lakh crore of credit during the year 2015-16 which, he hoped that the banks will surpass.

Jaitley said that the Government is committed to supporting employment through MGNREGA. He said that it will be ensured that no one who is poor is left without employment.

To increase the incomes of farmers, he emphasised upon the need for a National agricultural market, which will have the incidental benefit of moderating price rises. He said that he intends this year to work with the States, in NITI, for the creation of a Unified National Agriculture Market. He proposed to set up a Post Graduate Institute of Horticulture Research and Education in Amritsar.

Key Features

* Major steps taken to address the two major factors critical to agricultural production, that of soil and water.

* ‘Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana’ to be fully supported.

* ‘Pradhanmantri Gram Sinchai Yojana’ to provide ‘Per Drop More Crop’.

* ₹5,300 crore to support micro-irrigation, watershed development and the ‘Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana’. States urged to chip in.

* ₹25,000 crore in 2015-16 to the corpus of Rural Infrastructure Development Fund

* Target of ₹8.5 lakh crore of agricultural credit during the year 2015-16.

* Focus on improving the quality and effectiveness of activities under MGNREGA.

* Need to create a National Agriculture Market for the benefit farmers, which will also have the incidental benefit of moderating price rises. Government to work with the States, in NITI, for the creation of a Unified National Agriculture Market.