PMO Pushes Agri Reforms in Budget

27-Jan-2026 04:37 PM

New Delhi: The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has asked the Union Finance Ministry to include appropriate provisions in the Union Budget to accelerate the pace of development in agriculture and allied sectors, so that India can move rapidly towards self-reliance, especially in the production of pulses and oilseeds.

It is noteworthy that India has already achieved self-sufficiency in the production of rice, wheat, and coarse grains, but it is forced to import large quantities of pulses and edible oils from abroad, incurring huge expenditure in valuable foreign exchange. Reducing this expenditure is extremely necessary.

It is understood that the upcoming Union Budget may focus on strengthening the rural economy. Under this, efforts may be made to increase exports through cooperative societies and farmer producer organizations (FPOs).

The PMO is concerned about the declining growth rate in the agricultural sector. This growth rate was at a high of 4.6 percent in the financial year 2024-25, which is estimated to decline to 3.1 percent in 2025-26.

This time, the budget may propose new measures to strengthen cooperative farming and encourage value addition across the entire agricultural value chain.

This will help in increasing farmers' income. The Union Budget will be presented in Parliament on February 1st, and the entire country is focused on it.