Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the well-being of farmers is a priority for the government and their interests are non-negotiable. Mr Modi wrote letters on the Budget addressing five segments of society – farmers, senior citizens, small businessmen, workers and youth. The letters, which were posted by the Finance Ministry on its website yesterday, explained about the various initiatives taken by the government for these segments in the Budget.
In his letter to the farmers, the Prime Minister described them as annadaata. Observing that unseasonal rains have caused damage to crops in some states, Mr Modi said the government is committed to stand behind farmers in their hour of need.
He said, the Centre is in touch with states to give support to farmers. In the letter, the Prime Minister said the government has set up a price stabilisation fund to provide support in the case of a sharp fall in prices of commodities. He said that the government is also actively working with the states towards creating a National Agriculture Market, removing all middlemen.
In his letter to small businessmen, the Prime Minister said, Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency (MUDRA) Bank would ensure loans at affordable rates with minimal paper work. He said, Self Employment and Talent Utilisation (SETU) mechanism is being set up to support all aspects of a start-up business, from credit to incubation.
He said, Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) has also been established to promote a network of world-class innovation hubs for those who want to get into cutting-edge R&D.