Around 70% of the countries population dwells in the rural areas and for the majority of them agriculture and allied activities continues to be the primary vocation.
Sectors like dairy farming, poultry farming,goat rearing et al have traditionally been playing a pivotal role in poverty alleviation and growth per se. However, for catering to the animal protein requirements of the large population whose purchasing power is on the rise and for tapping the global markets encouraging intensive operations in these sectors is needed. One of the primary requirements for this is the availability and accessibility to soft loans from the institutional lenders like the banks. The interest rates on advances for animal husbandry activities are higher than that of crop agriculture. This is because of the fact that these activities are given industrial status which is causing more problems for the small and medium type farmers in accessing credit at cheaper rates for further expansion of their units. This anomaly needs to be rectified and the interest rates brought on par.
Establishment of special zones for intensive animal husbandry activities by offering land on long term lease and other concessionary benefits which helps minimize human contacts with farm animals should be given attention in the budget.
Active encouragement for NGOs to take up rural development programmes in partnership with government departments should also be an area of focus in this budget.
From,
Dr.R.Unni Krishnan
BF-3 Sterling Sarovar
Kosseri Lane Ponnekara
Edapally Kochi
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