(Tribune)
Realising that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to double farmers’ income in a short span (by 2022) is going to be a daunting task, the Centre has changed gear and is now working on a model called “zero-budget farming” across the country, which will reduce farm input cost.The model has already gained ground in the state, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.For the purpose, NITI Aayog on Monday held a day-long deliberation to work out ways and means to implement zero-budget farming across the country. Besides, Union Ministers and top brass of NITI Aayog, Governor Acharya Devvrat also participated in deliberation.Briefing the media after the meeting, NITI Aayog vice-chairman Rajiv Kumar said while 5 lakh farmers were using zero-budget farming in the three states, which involved no input costs, if implemented across the country, it would lead to a paradigm shift in agriculture.
