Budget gives short shrift to agriculture (Business Line)

Business Line (India) published an op-ed by senior research fellow Anjani Kumar and Himanshu Pathak. In the op-ed, Kumar discusses the new national budget for agriculture.  The authors write that the total allocation for the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare for 2022-23 sees no increase in the Budget for agriculture. He adds, “The Budget has three significant things that can prove to be beneficial for the sector. Unlike the department of agriculture, the allied sectors have witnessed an increase in their allocations. The allocation for the Fisheries sector has increased by 73 percent and that for Animal Husbandry and Dairying is up 26 percent, compared to 2021-22. These steps would go a long way to push diversification of the agricultural economy.” The op-ed authors conclude by saying, “Indian agriculture deserved more attention and investment, but the predominance of populism in Indian politics has pushed the Budget away from bold reforms and real investments.”