Budget 2019: Joy for farmers coming? Moderate interest subsidy for short term agri credit likely

Budget 2019: The politically-crucial interest subsidy for short term credit to farmers is likely to be a modest one in the vote-on-account which is to be presented by acting Finance Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday.

As compared to two years ago in 2017-18, when this subsidy was Rs 20,339 crore, the subsidy is likely to be around Rs 18,000 crore, a fall of 11 per cent, informed sources said. 

The total outlay of the Department of Agriculture is likely to witness a significant jump from Rs 47,800 crore of 2018-19. The agriculture budget for 2019-20 is likely to be more than Rs 50,000 crore, it is learned.

The Interim Budget is also likely to contain a package of relief for the stressed farm sector which is likely to have direct investment support of upto Rs 15,000 per hectare annually and reduction in premium for crop insurance scheme and compensation for the gap between minimum support price and the market price.