EFFORTS being made for setting up more Rural HAATS to ensure marketing facilities to farmers for their produce : PM Modi

Government is making efforts to ensure setting up HAATS near   agricultural fields to help farmers hassle-free marketing of their products. Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the announcement on Saturday, February 29 while laying the foundation stone for the 296-km  long Bundelkhand Expressway at Chitrakoot to be built at a cost of Rs 14,849 crore for the benefit Chitrakoot, Banda, Mahoba, Hamirpur, Jalaun, Auraiya and Etowah districts. To increase the income of the farmers and empower them, PM Modi launched a scheme to create 10,000   Farmer- Producer Organizations. The farmer who was a producer till now, will also conduct business through FPO, he added. Outlining several initiatives undertaken by the Government for farmers, PM said Government has worked at every front that concerns farmers- be it MSP, Soil Health Card, 100% neem coating of urea, completion of irrigation projects lying incomplete for decades. Prime Minister said that the FPOs will help in collectivisation of the efforts of the farmers so that they can sell their produce at a better price. The event also marked the launch of 10,000 Farmers Producer Organisations all over the country at Chitrakoot besides launching a saturation drive for distribution of Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) to all the beneficiaries under the PM-KISAN Scheme. PM Modi said Bundelkhand Expressway, Purvanchal Expressway and   the proposed Ganga Expressway will not only increase connectivity in UP, but also create many employment opportunities and will also connect the people with the facilities available in big cities. Referring to the huge defence equipment requirements spanning from land systems, ships and submarines to fighter aircraft, helicopters, weapons and sensors, the Prime Minister said that a provision of Rs 3700 crore has been made for the UP-Defence Corridor in this year’s budget. UP Defence Corridor is also getting momentum from Bundelkhand Expressway, he added. To increase the income of the farmers of the country and empower them. The Prime Minister said the government decided to give more incentives to FPOs in more than 100 Aspirational Districts- ‘Aspirational Districts’ of the country with at least one FPO formed in every block. He stressed that nearly 2 crore farmer families of entire UP including Chitrakoot are getting their entitlement of over 12 thousand crore rupees a year, directly deposited in their bank accounts, without middlemen and any discrimination. He compared this with the times when packages of thousands of crores were announced in the name of farmers, in the name of Bundelkhand, but nothing reached the pocket of the farmer. He also added that beneficiaries of PM Kisan Yojana are also being linked to PM Jeevan Jyoti Insurance and PM Jeevan Suraksha Insurance Scheme. “This will ensure insurance amount of up to 2 lakh rupees to farmers in difficult times,” he added. PM Modi also recalled that a 16-point program has been created to increase farmers’ income. (courtesy to India.com for the picture above)‘