Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh on Tuesday said that the government was committed to increasing the income of farmers and give a boost to the allied sectors.
"We are committed to increasing farmers income and at the same time input cost has to be brought down," the Minister said.
He was interacting with regional editors from north and north-eastern States on the concluding day of a two-day conference organised by PIB here. He also lashed out at the previous UPA government, claiming they had slept over the issue of soil health cards to farmers and did not take it seriously. Singh said Rs 568 crore provision was made for issuing soil health cards to 14 crore farmers in the country. "By next year all farmers will be given soil health cards, and they will know which fertiliser has to be used, because we have seen in some cases blind use of fertiliser affects soil fertility," he said.
He also said the Modi government had taken steps to prevent black marketing of urea.