Art of Re Packaging - Part 2

Rs 1 lakh crore Agri Infrastructure Fund ( AIF)

Finance Minister Said on 15th May 2020 :- Financing facility of Rs. 1,00,000 crore will be provided for funding Agriculture Infrastructure Projects at farm-gate & aggregation points (Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies, Farmers Producer Organisations, Agriculture entrepreneurs, Startups, etc.)

• AIF is newly declared fund but there is a one similar fund - Agri Market Infrastructure Fund (AMIF). Let check it's record to predict that what may happen with the newly announced AIF.

Budget 2018-19 Speech - Para 17 - We will develop and upgrade existing 22,000 rural haats into Gramin Agricultural Markets (GrAMs). In these GrAMs, physical infrastructure will be strengthened using MGNREGA and other Government Schemes. 

Budget 2018-19 Speech - Para 18 - An Agri-Market Infrastructure Fund with a corpus of `2000 crore will be set up for developing and upgrading agricultural marketing infrastructure in the 22000 Grameen Agricultural Markets (GrAMs) and 585 APMCs

( After One Year)

6th Feb 2019 , The Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs :- The Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs Chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today gave its approval for the creation of a corpus of Rs. 2000 crore for Agri-Market Infrastructure Fund (AMIF) to be created with NABARD for development and up-gradation of agricultural marketing infrastructure in Gramin Agricultural Markets and Regulated Wholesale Markets.

• AMIF was announced in 2018. CCEA took 1 year to celar it and sanctioned in 2019. We are now in 2020 - You can find out how much government spend from it and How many gramin market is/are upgraded.

Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY)

Finance Minister Said on 15th May 2020 :- Government will launch the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY)  for integrated, sustainable, inclusive development of marine and inland fisheries.

Budget Speech 2019-20 - Para 44 - Fishing and fishermen communities are closely aligned with farming and are crucial to rural India. Through a focused Scheme – the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) – the Department of Fisheries will establish a robust fisheries management framework.

PIB 17th march 2020 :- Further the Government, in its Union Budget 2019-20 has announced a new scheme the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) which envisages a total investment of about Rs 20,050 crores which includes central, state and beneficiary shares over a period of five years w.e.f. 2020-21.

• Document Released on 15th may don’t mention that (if) government spend 20,000 Cr on PMMSY then it will be in 5 year span not in one year

National Animal Disease Control Programme for Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Brucellosis

Finance Ministry document of Package 3 says - National Animal Disease Control Programme for Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Brucellosis launched with total outlay of Rs. 13,343 crores.

Cabinet decision on 31st May 2019 :- During the Union Cabinet Meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, the first since the outcome of the 2019 Lok Sabha election, a novel initiative was cleared that will benefit crores of farmers and improve the health of animals.

This initiative pertains to controlling Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Brucellosis to support the livestock rearing farmers. The Cabinet had cleared a total outlay of Rs. 13,343 crores to fully control these diseases amongst the livestock in the country in the next five years and subsequently eradicate these diseases. 

• Like PMMSY, This national Animal disease control scheme is also for five year but document released by Finance ministry on 15th May 2020 didn’t mention that

An Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund

Finance Ministry document of Package 3 says:- An Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund of Rs. 15,000 crore will be set up.

PIB of 10th March 2018 :- Government, with a corpus of Rs 2,450 crore, has set up an Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) for financing infrastructure requirement of animal husbandry sector: Shri Radha Mohan Singh

• Here , it's not clear that 15,000 Cr. fund will be in addition to current one or it's total in size of 15,000 cr. , Means 2500 Cr. of existing and 12,500 Cr of New.

From ‘TOP’ to TOTAL - Rs 500 crores

Finance Ministry document of Package 3 says:- Operation Greens will be extended from Tomatoes, Onion and Potatoes (TOP) to ALL fruits and vegetables (TOTAL).

• Operation Green is the Fund of Rs.500 Cr. which is elusively for the three commodities - T(ometo), O(nion) and P(oteto). Now, Government want to support all vegetables and fruits with the same amount Rs.500 Cr. Great !

• Secondly, TOP - Operation Green of 500 Cr. was sanctioned in 2018 but still government spend only 162 Cr. ( As far as I know, Please Check updates if any is there)

Agriculture Marketing Reforms

Finance Ministry document of Package 3 says:-

• Agriculture Marketing Reforms to provide marketing choices to farmers.
• A Central law will be formulated to provide :-  Adequate choices to farmer to sell produce at attractive price

Reality:-

• APMC comes under the state subject. Union Government enacted the Model APMC act in 2003. But it's on states to adapt it or not.
• Likewise, Model contract farming act is also enacted in 2018 but it's upon states to take final call.