India moving towards normalcy in agriculture, says MHA

Making the declaration in a press briefing, a Home Ministry official also mentioned that works under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS), especially large community projects like water conservation and irrigation projects, are providing employment to 2 crore labourers.

New Delhi:The Union Home Ministry on Monday announced that the country was moving towards normalcy in the agriculture sector as over 80 per cent wheat was harvested till Sunday, and over 2,000 mandis were functional.

Making the declaration in a press briefing, a Home Ministry official also mentioned that works under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS), especially large community projects like water conservation and irrigation projects, are providing employment to 2 crore labourers.

The official also said that over 60 per cent of food processing units (2,825) in Special Economic Zones and 350 export-oriented units are functional.

"We are moving towards normalcy in agriculture. More than 80 per cent wheat was harvested till April 26 and more than 2,000 mantids are functional," the official said.

She said that the Kisan Rath app has made transactions between traders and farmers easy.

Kisan Rath Mobile App facilitates the farmers and traders across the country for transportation of agri-produce by connecting them with the transporters. The app interfaces with leading transport aggregators and individual transporters for providing a wide range of transport vehicles at required date and place, in a quick and easy way.

"Over8,000 farmers and 7,000 traders are registered on the app."

The announcements signals good sign amid the crisis as the economy has been passing through its lowest phase due to the lockdown imposed since March 24 midnight to contain the spread of novel coronavirus or Covid-19 pandemic which has so far killed 886 people across India and infected over 21,000.

The movement in the economy as well as jobs to labourers is evident in rural sectors after the Home Ministry through various orders exempted various activities, specially in agriculture sectors.

(IANS Report)