The State government has made an allocation of ₹ 11,891.20 crore for the agriculture sector for the financial year 2020-21 and for the animal husbandry and fisheries sectors, it is ₹1,279 crore.
The allocation for agriculture and allied sectors in 2019-20 was ₹ 20,677 crore, which was 9.07% of the total budget. Now it has come down to ₹13,617 crore, which is 6.06% of the total budget. There is negative growth of 34.14% in budget estimates for agriculture and allied sectors for the current fiscal 2020-21. Similarly, the negative growth of 33.08% is estimated for animal husbandry, dairy development and fisheries.
Agriculture and allied sectors and the animal husbandry sector have shown a decline in revised estimates (RE) for the previous financial year 2019-20. The budget estimates were ₹18,327 crore for the agriculture sector, but the RE pegged them at ₹ 5,986 crore. Similarly, budget estimates for animal husbandry and dairy development was ₹ 1,912 crore for the last fiscal, but the RE stood at ₹719 crore.
Presenting the annual budget on Tuesday, Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy said the government has initiated new schemes and enhanced the assistance under several others for the well-being of farmers.
‘Priority area’
Post bifurcation, the successor State of Andhra Pradesh inherited a predominantly agrarian economy. Agriculture plays an important role not only for economic growth but also for achieving food security and providing income to more than 75 % of our workforce, he said.
The major allocations include ₹3,615 crore towards YSR Ryhtu Bharosa and ₹ 3,000 crore towards price stabilisation fund. The government made an allocation of ₹1,100 crore towards YSR interest-free loans to farmers and ₹100 crore each was allocated to Rythu Bharosa Kendralu (RBKs) and Agriculture Market Infrastructure Fund, ₹500 crore was earmarked for YSR-PM Fasal Bima Yojana; ₹ 237 crore was allocated to Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, ₹200 crore for supply of seeds to farmers. The government earmarked ₹150 crore for the National Horticulture Mission and ₹ 65 crore for YSR Agri Testing Labs, and ₹ 20 crore was allocated for payment of ex gratia to farmers. Allocations for other schemes came to ₹ 2,802 crore.
The government extended financial assistance to 46.51 lakh farmer families and 1.58 lakh tenant farmer families during 2019-20. The government plans to continue the income support to the farmers for the year 2020-21.