The government will involve the unemployed rural youth in fisheries extension work, said the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while presenting her second budget on Saturday, February 1. "Through 3,477 Sagar Mitras and 500 fish-farmer producer organisations, we hope the rural youth, particularly in the coastal and inland areas, will work as Sagar Mitras and also form 500 such organisations," she said.
By 2022-23, the FM also proposed to raise fish production to 200 lakh tonnes and added to it the production of algae and caged cultivation as well, she said. The fund allocation for the sector comprising agriculture, allied activities was set at Rs 2.83 lakh crore.
The FM also added that the government is committed to doubling farm income by 2022. "The first thing is to encourage State governments to implement model laws passed by the central government — Model Agri Land Leasing Act, 2016, APMC, 2017 and Contract Farming, 2018. The second action point is comprehensive measures for 100 water-stressed districts," she said while speaking at the Lok Sabha. She added that the third action point is to provide 20 lakh farmers with stand-alone solar pumps. We shall also help another 15 lakh farmers to solarise their farms. And finally, to encourage balanced use of all kinds of fertilisers.
The FM kicked off the Union Budget on February 1, 2020, at 11 am. Sitharaman reached the Parliament an hour ahead of time with the budget document folded in a red traditional cloth sealed with the government seal. This budget is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s second opportunity in seven months to refresh policy priorities to support an economy on a downward spiral.
