The United Front government has revised the national agricultural policy draft, shifting its focus to mobilising more public investment in agricultural infrastructure and wooing more private investment into the sector.
It will also aim at discouraging diversion of farm land for non-agricultural purposes while encouraging diversification of agriculture by promoting supplementary occupations.
The revised document will be discussed at a meeting of state agriculture ministers to be held here tomorrow. The meet will also discuss the approach to the 9th plan and the common minimum programme on agriculture agreed upon by the constituents of the United Front.
More From This Section
The previous draft of the agriculture policy resolution was prepared by the Congress government headed by P V Narasimha Rao. It was discussed in both the Houses of parliament as also by the representatives of the states. The new draft takes into account the suggestions made during these discussions.
The major thrust of the revised policy draft is on giving area and farmer specific orientation to agricultural development programmes.
This would be sought to be achieved by improving access to inputs and services like seeds, fertilisers, credit and marketing; revitalisation of cooperatives and through the strengthening of infrastructure for farm development. This may require major structural changes and policy orientations at the macro level, the draft indicates.
The overall objective of the agricultural policy would be to take initiatives to accelerate all round development and to improve economic viability of the sector.