Seminar discusses agriskills enhancement
The Department of Agriculture at Brainware University hosted a one-day National seminar on 20 April.
Former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Thursday hailed the Union Budget for 2018-19 as ‘farmer friendly and people-oriented’.
He said linking minimum support price (MSP) with costs of production, the emphasis on agricultural exports, value addition of farm produce through increased outlay for food processing industry and focus on rural economy and development are the most welcome and unique features of this budget.
Badal congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and finance minister Arun Jaitley for courageously introducing a priority-shift in governmental investments into agriculture and rural sectors, especially the commitment to ensure MSPs equal to 1.50 times of the farmers’ costs in investment.
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“This is the first concrete step towards meeting the goal of implementing the Swaminathan recommendation of ensuring 100 percent profits on farmers costs on production,” he said adding that the budget carries the stamp of Jaitley’s concern for farmers in general and for Punjab farmers in particular. “For the first time since 1947, the Union government has institutionalised its commitment to the growth of agriculture and farmer’s welfare into a budgetary promise.
When pursued to its logical conclusions, this will truly prove to be a revolutionary step forward towards inclusive development,” the former CM said. Badal also hailed the focus on liberalizing exports of agriculture-based products as these would truly help in securing good market price for farmers’ produce.
The former CM said it was particularly gratifying to see the Union government’s emphasis on value addition of agriculture produce. “The 100 per cent increase in outlay for food processing industry in the country would indeed prove to be a big boon for farmers in general and for Punjab farmers in particular,” Badal said.
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