More thrust on small farmers and agriculture sector

New Delhi: Seeking to turnaround the agriculture sector, the Centre is likely to make a major shift in restructuring schemes to focus on small and marginal farmers.

The Union agriculture ministry is also seeking to replicate the Gujrat and Madhya Pradesh models in giving a major push to the agricultural growth, which has remain at below four per cent level in the recent years.

The likely change in the agriculture policy will be reflected in the address of President Pranab Mukherjee to the joint session of the Parliament on Monday.

“The Centre is looking beyond convergence of MGNREGA and agriculture. That is too small steps to add anything to the agricultural growth. The government in place is going to invest in a big way in improving the farm productivity by strengthening the marginal farmers,” an official said.

The Centre is also set to soon call the meeting of the state agriculture ministers to share with them the new approach to boost the agricultural growth.

“After the address of the President, the ministry will begin consultations with state governments to chalk out state specific strategies to achieve higher growth in agriculture. The Centre is of the view that the small and marginal farmers, who constitute almost 60 per cent of the farmer community, have not benefited from Central schemes. They are now priority of the government,” the official added.