Farmers' income should double in six years: Modi

The NDA government at the Centre wants to double the income of the farmers in the next six years and steps are being taken to see the target is achieved, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday.

“By 2022 when the country would be celebrating the 75th year of its independence, the income of an Indian farmer should be more than two times what he is earning now,” Modi said while addressing a farmers’ rally in Bargarh town in Odisha. He sought the co-operation of everybody including the state governments in this regard.

The prime minister highlighted the steps initiated by his government for development of agriculture sector which include the new crop insurance policy that would largely benefit the farmers. “No government in the past had come out with such a crop insurance policy. Everybody, even the Opposition parties have welcomed it,” he said highlighting the main features of the new policy.

Prime minister also stressed the need for a second green revolution in the country and said it should begin in the states located in eastern part of India. “States in eastern India like West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha and Chhattisgarh have the potential to flag off the second green revolution in the country,” he observed.