With ₹14,524-cr outlay, agri & allied sectors get 5% boost

In the budget presented by finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Wednesday for the financial year 2025-26, an allocation of ₹14,524 crore has been made for agriculture and allied sectors, witnessing an increase of 5%, as compared to the budget for current financial year that ends on March 31.

- Gurpreet Singh Nibber

CHANDIGARH:

Cheema said that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will fulfil all genuine demands of the farmers. "Our government has always upheld a farmer-first approach," he told the House.

Cheema announced to offer a per hectare incentive of ₹17,500 to farmers who shift to cultivating maize from paddy. The scheme has been launched in three districts--Bathinda, Kapurthala and Gurdaspur. Initially, a total of about 21,000-hectare area will be diversified from paddy to kharif maize to encourage production of ethanol to achieve the target of 20% blending of ethanol by 2025 set by the Centre. About 30,000 farmers will be covered under the scheme, offering them ₹115 crore which has been earmarked for crop diversification.