Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Monday hailed the Union Budget 2021-22 allocation to agriculture sector saying this Budget has cleared all the confusion regarding new farm laws and the minimum support price (MSP) and the Government is fully committed towards development of agriculture sector while farmers unions termed it anti farmers’ as the budget has proved their apprehensions right — that this government is on a path of withdrawing support to agriculture, not strengthening it.
Farmers said they are only concerned about their common goal of having the three farm laws repealed, and what has been offered to the agriculture sector in the Union Budget does not matter.
Tomar said that the Narendra Modi is committed to working for the interest of farmers. “Every year the focus is not only on increased budget allocation, but also the implementation of schemes,” he said. Tomar further stated the budget will help in doubling the farmers’ income. It has the required provisions to raise the income of farmers,” he said.
The Budget is focused on developing infrastructure in agriculture sector. He said that the budget has given APMCs access to agriculture infrastructure fund (AIF) for development of marketing infrastructure in mandis.
“I appeal to the political parties to not engage in politics every time. Those who play politics on every matter meet the same fate as that of opposing parties presently,” he said adding it’s a common man Budget.
Former Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh has also appreciated the budget allocation for agriculture sector.
Yogendra Yadav, President of Swaraj India said the empty Budget for farmers shows that the government is not looking at addressing the slowdown by putting resources in the pockets of the people at the bottom, but instead using this crisis as an opportunity to implement economic reforms that corporate India has been demanding. Farmers protesting at various sites on the borders of Delhi on Monday unequivocally said they are only concerned about their common goal of having the three farm laws repealed, and what has been offered to the agriculture sector in the Union Budget does not matter. At the Singhu Border, most farmers were rather clueless about the budget, saying they were “unable to access the internet” at the protest site so couldn’t get to know the details.