Haryana CM Khattar hails "pro-poor, pro farmer" Union budget

In a statement here, Khattar said the budget was reflective of the pro-poor and pro-farmer policies of the NDA government and will prove to be a major milestone towards realising Prime Minister Narender Modi's vision of doubling the income of farmers.

The decision to raise the MSP of all crops to at least 1.5 times the production cost will incentivise farming operations and improve the economic lot of the farmers, he said.

The Rs 2,000-crore fund for developing agricultural markets will help farmers in marketing their produce and help them get the maximum price, he added.

Besides, adoption of cluster approach, allocation of Rs 500 crore for 'Operation Green,' to promote processing facilities, state-of-the-art facilities in 42 mega food parks and Rs 1,000 crore for promotion of fisheries, together with focus on productive and gainful on-farm and non-farm employment for farmers and landless families, will add to the income of the farmers, the Haryana chief minister said.

He lauded the decision to provide eight crore free gas connections to women under the 'Ujjwala' scheme, four crore electricity connections to the poor under 'Saubhagya Yojana'

and cover for 10 crore poor and vulnerable families under the National Health Protection Scheme.

These reflect the concern for the poor ingrained in the NDA philosophy, he said.