Cabinet okays key agri projects including Digital Agriculture Mission, Krishi Vigyan Kendras. Details here

The Union Cabinet approved seven projects to boost the country's agricultural sector, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced at a press briefing on Monday, September 2.

"Seven big decisions have been taken in today's Cabinet meeting. To improve the lives and income of farmers... As you all know, the finance minister laid out a comprehensive plan during the Budget speech on how a transformational change can be brought in their lives through a scientific approach. In the same series, all these seven decisions have been taken today," said Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw at the press conference.

The key decisions are as follows:

1. The Union Cabinet gave approval for the Digital Agriculture Mission with an outlay of ₹2,817 crore. The mission aims to improve farming through technology.
2. The Union minister also announced a ₹3,979 crore scheme to promote crop science for food and nutrition.

"Second (decision) is related to food and nutritional security, in which scientific inputs were received on how to make our farmers ready by 2047 keeping in mind climate resilient crop sciences, and food security and nutritional security,” Vaishnaw said.

3. To strengthen agricultural education and management, the Cabinet gave a nod for a scheme worth ₹2,291 crore.

4. The government cleared a ₹1,702-cr scheme for sustainable livestock health and production.

5. The Cabinet also allocated ₹860 cr for the development of horticulture, Ashwini Vaishnaw said.

6. For the development of Krishi Vigyan Kendras, the government has allocated ₹1,202 crore.

7. The Cabinet also approved a ₹1,115 crore plan for Natural Resource Management.

Additionally, the government also announced a few infrastructure-related projects.

The Cabinet approved a 309 km new line, which will provide the shortest rail connectivity between Mumbai and Indore. The outlay is ₹18,036 crore, and the project is expected to be completed by 2028-29.

The government gave the nod to one more semiconductor unit of Kaynes Semicon Pvt Ltd in Gujarat's Sanand, under India Semiconductor Mission, for around ₹3,300 crore.