BJP manifesto: Check out their plans for agriculture and manufacturing sectors

Agriculture and manufacturing are definitely the two most important sectors for India’s economic growth. And the Bharatiya Janata Party seems to have struck the right chords in its manifesto. In its election manifesto, that was released today, the BJP vowed highest priority to agricultural growth, increase in farmer’s income and rural development.

Here’s what the BJP has promised to do in the agriculture sector:

* Increase public investment in agriculture and rural development. Take steps to enhance the profitability in agriculture, by ensuring a minimum of 50% profits over the cost of production, cheaper agriculture inputs and credit; introducing latest technologies for farming and high yielding seeds and linking MGNREGA to agriculture.

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* Put in place welfare measures for farmers above 60 years in age, small and marginal farmers and
farm labours.

*Introduce and promote low water consuming irrigation techniques and optimum utilization of water
resources.

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*Introduce soil assessment based crop planning and setting up mobile soil testing labs.

* Re-orient pest management and control programmes. Implement and incentivize the setting up of the food processing industry.

* Set up the ‘Organic Farming and Fertilizer Corporation of India’, to promote organic farming andfertilizers, and provide incentives and support for marketing organic produce. Introduce rotation farming for herbal products, based on geographical mapping, to enhance the income of farmers.

* Implement a farm insurance scheme to take care of crop loss due to unforeseen natural calamities. Strengthen and expand rural credit facilities.

* Introduce the concept of consumer friendly farmers’ market to reduce wastages and increaseincomes and risk coverage.

* BJP will adopt a ‘National Land Use Policy’, which will look at the scientific acquisition of non-cultivable land, and its development; protect the interest of farmers and keep in mind the food production goals and economic goals of the country. It’s implementation would be monitored by the National Land Use Authority, which will work with the State Land Use Authorities to regulate and facilitate land management.

Here’s what the BJP has promised to do in the manufacturing sector:

* Accord high priority to the growth of manufacturing, so that we can create enough jobs in thecountry. This sector must grow fast to ensure employment and asset creation.

* Take steps for Interest rate rationalization and have a clear tax policy to remove uncertainty andcreate investor confidence.

* Take all steps; like removing red-tapism involved in approvals, to make it easy to do business,invest in logistics infrastructure, ensure power supply and undertake labour reforms, besides othersteps to create a conducive environment for investors.

* Increase the public spending on R&D and Incentivize R&D investments by the industry to increasethe competitiveness of the manufacturing sector.

* We will facilitate setting up of software and hardware manufacturing units.

* Encourage Indian companies to go global and we will support Indian companies in this endeavor. We believe that Indian entrepreneurs have the capability to take on global markets.

* Set up trade facilitation to ensure easier customs clearances and visas for business travel. Initiate a Government - Industry Dialogue, a channel for regular interface with the industry.