Cabinet approves Rs 2,481 crore National Mission on Natural Farming

The government on Monday announced a national mission to promote natural farming among one crore farmers across the country with a budget outlay of Rs 2,481 crore.

The decision, taken in the Cabinet meeting headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aims to create an ecosystem for sustainable farming.

"There is a need to improve the quality of soil and maintain the health of the people with chemical-free food...The National Mission on Natural Farming is a path-breaking decision," Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnav said in a media briefing after the meeting.

The mission, with a budget outlay of Rs 2,481 crore, will cover 1 crore farmers across the country, he added.

The minister said natural farming will be promoted on a mission mode after successful experiments in 2019-20 and 2022-23.

Currently, around 10 lakh hectares are under natural farming throughout the country, he added.