Harsimrat wants to make farmers job givers, not seekers

Minister of Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Tuesday said that her department will focus on making farmers job creators instead of job seekers while a new scheme will be rolled out to finance the farmers. "I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving me this ministry again. During the last five years, the aim was to create processing infrastructure including cold chains and mega food parks and was new markets. All this falls in line with Modi ji's aim of doubling the income of farmers. Their income will be doubled if they get higher prices for their crops in processing units and retail outlets," she told reporters after assuming the charge of her ministry.

"For the next five years, along with the continuation of these schemes, my target is to generate employment, especially in rural areas. So, they won't have to look out for jobs outside their locality. My focus will be to make farmers job creators rather than just job seekers by value addition to their farming in the next five years," she said. Badal, a three-time Lok Sabha MP from Bathinda in Punjab, said that a new scheme will be rolled out to finance farmer entrepreneurs.

"A new scheme is proposed where 50,000-60,000 entrepreneurs will be created. We will finance 50 per cent of the capital of farmer entrepreneurs worth Rs 1 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. We will try to install 70,000 micro units in a year," she said. The Union Minister held the same portfolio in the first term of BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.

Rameswar Teli, Minister of State in the Ministry of Food Processing Industries was also present on the occasion. (ANI)

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