In keeping with his promises and subsequent to the deliberations of Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set up a High Powered Committee of Chief Ministers for ‘Transformation of Indian Agriculture’.
Chief minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis have been made convenor of the committee along with CMs of Karnataka, Haryana, Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, HD Kumaraswamy, Manohar Lal Khattar, Pema Khandu, Vijay Rupani, Yogi Adityanath and Kamal Nath respectively along with Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development & Panchyati Raj have been made members of the committee. Ramesh Chand, Member, NITI Aayog has been appointed as Member Secretary of this high level committee.
The committee will discuss measures for transformation of agriculture and raising farmers’ income and suggest modalities for adoption and time bound implementation of following reforms by the states and UTs and ‘Agriculture Produce and Livestock Marketing (Promotion & Facilitation) Act, 2017’ (APLM Act, 2017) circulated by Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare to the states and UTs.
The committee will examine various provisions of Essential Commodity Act (ECA), 1955 and situations that require ECA. It will suggest changes in the ECA to attract private investments in agriculture marketing and infrastructure.
The high level committee will suggest mechanism for linking of market reforms with e-National Agriculture Market (e-NAM), Gramin Agricultural Markets (GrAM) and other related centrally sponsored schemes.
It will suggest policy measures to boost agricultural export, raising growth in food processing and attracting investments in modern market infrastructure, value chains and logistics.
The committee will suggest measures to upgrade agri-technology to global standards and improve access of farmers to quality seed, plant propagation material and farm machinery in agriculturally advance countries.
It will propose any other relevant reforms for transformation of agriculture sector and raising farmers’ income.
The committee will submit its report within two months of the date of notification of the committee.
The High Powered Committee of Chief Ministers for ‘Transformation of Indian Agriculture’ will be serviced by NITI Aayog.
