BJP MP seeks Railways-like budget for agriculture sector

A BJP MP from Uttar Pradesh has urged the government to announce a separate budget for the sector on the lines of Railway Budget.

Virendra Singh, a three-time MP from Bhadohi and a member of the Standing Committee on Agriculture, also requested the government to encourage organic farming and set up organic crop certification centres at the block level. "There should a separate budget for agriculture sector on the lines of Railways as two-thirds of our population are linked to it. The Central government can always have policies to facilitate farmers in states to make farming remunerative enough and to ensure that poor farmers do not commit suicides," Singh told PTI.

Singh, a former state president of BJP Kisan Morcha who started the "Gaon Chalo Abhiyaan" to promote awareness among farmers and villagers especially in the field of agriculture, said organic farming should be encouraged as most small farmers do not have the resources to use fertilisers in their fields and produce organic crops which are good for health.

"The government should promote such farming and small farmers. There should also be a subsidy on natural (cattle dung) fertiliser for use by small farmers," he said. He said he will raise the issue at party forum and other platforms also.