Raichur (Karnataka), Oct 16 (IANS) Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday assured farmers of full support to boost agricultural income, as she inaugurated the Farmers Training and Common Facility Centre and a new agro-processing unit here.

Addressing the gathering, she highlighted initiatives like soil health cards, fertilisers, financial assistance, and the increased MSP for foodgrains and pulses.

“The Farmers’ Training and Common Facility Centre in Raichur will greatly benefit our farmers. It will help farmers get more price for agricultural products, tie producers to markets, empower women, improve quality and shelf-life of farm produce and training and capacity building of farmers.

Raichur district is one of the major pulse production regions of Karnataka and approximately 80,000 metric tonnes of tur and 34,000 metric tonnes of chickpeas are cultivated annually.

“This vast production base will contribute to strengthening the pulse value chain. The new processing unit established under this scheme has the capacity to process 133 metric tonnes of tur, 100 metric tonnes of chickpeas, and 76 metric tonnes of mixed pulses per year. Through this, farmers will receive better prices, and dependence on middlemen will decrease,” Sitharaman noted.

In the long term, this venture aims to empower farmers, strengthen farmer producer organizations, and promote holistic rural development by creating a sustainable and market-oriented pulse industry ecosystem, she added.

The scheme enhances the pulse market value and long-term viability by promoting the production of tur, chickpeas, and mixed pulses, while also creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for self-help groups and rural entrepreneurs.

“This scheme, with the vision of making the agricultural ecosystem of Raichur district more robust and stable — advancing the value chain for farmers, increasing income, and through innovation and collaboration, serves as a firm step toward the holistic development of rural enterprises in the future,” the finance minister highlighted.

In the long run, this initiative aims to build a sustainable and market-driven ecosystem for pulse-based enterprises, empowering farmers, strengthening FPOs, and promoting inclusive rural development in Raichur district.

Earlier, Sitharaman interacted with interns of the Prime Minister Internship Scheme (PMIS) in Hampi, Karnataka. The session brought together over 60 interns from across the state along with representatives from leading partner companies including Infosys, MSPL, IBM, TCS, Tata Consumer Products, Bharat Electronics Limited, Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals, HAL, NMDC, and Honeywell Technology Solutions.

The minister engaged with the interns, listened to their experience and aspirations under PMIS. She discussed what inspired them to join the scheme along with their learning and upskilling experience during the internship. While interacting with the PMIS interns, she offered guidance and words of encouragement to the interns for their professional journeys.

–IANS

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