Govt continuously taking steps to benefit farmers: PM Modi

Asserting that India was proud of its farmers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the government was continuously taking steps to ensure the interests of those "who feed the entire country" were protected. He also said his government was committed to protect the rights of these 'anndataas' (food providers).

"India is proud of its food providers. The government is committed to protect the rights of those who feed the entire country, and is taking steps to take care of their interests," Modi tweeted. Modi posted these remarks on Twitter along with a video link of a press conference of Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar held here on Wednesday. The country's farm sector is functioning smoothly despite the COVID-19 lockdown, and there will not be much impact on its growth in the current fiscal unlike other sectors, Tomar said at the press conference.

"Agriculture GDP was at 3.7 per cent during last year. I am confident that this growth in future will not be impacted much," the minister added. Agriculture accounts for 15 per cent of India's gross domestic and a source of livelihood for more than half of the country's 1.3 billion population.