New Delhi [India], July 29 : Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday highlighted the government's efforts to boost agricultural productivity and promote diverse farming practices, including fruits, flowers, vegetables, dairy, fish farming, and animal husbandry.
Speaking during the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, Chouhan said, "We increased production, reduced input costs, ensured better prices, compensated losses, and promoted diverse agriculture. Not just the farming of one crop, but the farming of fruits, flowers, vegetables, dairy, agriculture, fish farming, and animal husbandry. We have tried many different things."
The minister detailed significant increases in agricultural output over the past decade, citing specific figures for various crops and milk production.
"Over the last ten years, the production of crops has significantly increased. The production of full food grains was 240.42 million tonnes in 2013-14. It has increased to 353.96 million tonnes. The production of dal was 16.38 million tonnes. It has increased to 25.24 million tonnes. The production of tilhan was 27.51 million tonnes. It has increased to 42.61 million tonnes ... The milk production was 137.7 million tonnes. It has increased to 249.30 million tonnes," he stated.
Chouhan also outlined key financial support schemes for farmers, including the PM-KISAN scheme, increased Kisan Credit Card (KCC) funding, the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, and enhanced Minimum Support Price (MSP) policies, while emphasising subsidies on urea and DAP to boost farmer incomes.
"Under PM-KISAN, 10 crore farmers benefited with Rs 2 lakh crore in subsidies. KCC funding rose from Rs 7 lakh crore under Congress to Rs 25 lakh crore under the BJP. Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana paid Rs 1.43 lakh crore claims against Rs 35,000 crore premiums. MSP now includes 50 per cent profit over production costs, which Congress rejected during its rule. Urea and DAP subsidies further boosted farmer incomes," Chouhan added.