Shivraj Singh Chouhan Submits Reform-Focused Recommendations to Finance Minister

As Budget preparations gather pace, the consultation-driven approach reflects the government’s emphasis on ground-up policymaking, ensuring that voices from the field directly inform national fiscal priorities.

In a key pre-Budget engagement, Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, met Union Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi today and submitted a comprehensive set of recommendations aimed at accelerating growth in agriculture and rural development.

The recommendations are the outcome of extensive nationwide consultations conducted over recent weeks. Shri Chouhan has visited multiple states across the country and held wide-ranging interactions in Delhi with progressive farmers, agricultural scientists, self-help groups (SHGs), cooperative institutions, rural industries, and senior representatives of national-level institutions linked to both ministries.

Drawing on these discussions, the Ministry compiled a consolidated set of policy suggestions focused on enhancing farm incomes, rural employment, institutional support systems and long-term sustainability.

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Strengthening the Foundations of Rural India

Briefing the Finance Minister, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Central Government is consistently working towards building a self-reliant and prosperous rural India.

He noted that agriculture and rural development remain central to India’s economic and social transformation, and emphasised the need for policy interventions that are farmer-centric, regionally responsive and implementation-driven.

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Budget 2026–27 Expected to Be a Milestone for Farmers

Expressing confidence in the upcoming Union Budget, the Agriculture Minister said that the Union Budget for Financial Year 2026–27 is expected to be encouraging for farmers, rural communities and grassroots institutions.

“Under the Prime Minister’s capable and visionary leadership, the forthcoming Budget will play a decisive role in strengthening agriculture and rural livelihoods,” Shri Chouhan said, adding that it has the potential to become a milestone in realising the national vision of ‘Prosperous Farmers, Empowered Villages’.

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Policy Signals Ahead of the Budget

The engagement signals a continued focus on:

• Farmer income enhancement and risk mitigation

• Strengthening cooperatives and SHGs

• Boosting rural infrastructure and employment

• Improving institutional credit and market access

• Aligning agriculture with sustainability and resilience goals

As Budget preparations gather pace, the consultation-driven approach reflects the government’s emphasis on ground-up policymaking, ensuring that voices from the field directly inform national fiscal priorities.