Bhubaneswar, May 4: Yesterday in a seminar at the Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) here, NITI Aayog member Ramesh Chand speaking on the topic ‘State of Agriculture: Challenges and Prospects’ stated that the Odisha government must initiate steps to have farmer-friendly reforms such as establishment of suitable agriculture market and implement land lease norms necessary to double income of peasants in the State by 2022. He said that these days, quick climatic changes and frequent natural disasters are the biggest threats to farmers and so an urgent improvement in marketplace condition to facilitate better price for their agricultural produce is needed. Although, the MSP for some crops is already fixed but the state government should decide on the MSP for other major crops as well so as to double the income of farmers in next five to six years. He also pointed out that the centrally-sponsored schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna (PMFBY) and Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojna (PMKSY) should be open to farmers as well.
