Chikkaballapur constituency near Bengaluru is home to a range of farming activities including sericulture, livestock, dairying and aquaculture.
The two flagship insurance schemes have had a profound impact on the lives of Indian farmers, the BJP MP said participating in a discussion in the Lok Sabha on Friday.
Since the launch of the PM Fasal Bima Yojana in 2016-17, the Centre has insured 55.49 crore farmer applications, leading to claims totaling Rs 1,50,589 crore. In the same way, the PM KISAN scheme has disbursed about Rs 2.81 lakh crore through direct benefit transfer (DBT) to more than 11 crore farmers.
The two schemes, however, do not currently extend to other agricultural sectors, such as sericulture, livestock farming, aquaculture, and others. Sudhakar, a former Karnataka minister, said it was important to broaden the scope of these programmes to include farmers engaged in dairy, sericulture, aquaculture, and similar fields.
Farmers in these areas encounter comparable challenges and significant risks of income loss, much like traditional crop farmers. For example, livestock farming was essential for rural economic development, while sericulture demands careful attention, as farmers cultivate mulberry leaves for silkworms and tend to the cocoons to produce fine silk, he said in the Lok Sabha.The aquaculture sector faced similar challenges, the MP said while underscoring the need for inclusive umbrella schemes. According to the 2012 census, Karnataka’s livestock population was 27.7 million, which rose to 29 million by 2019. The state ranked 11th nationally, contributing 4.2%, 5.8 %, and 4.5% to the country’s production of milk, eggs, and meat, respectively, according to the most recent government statistics.Sericulture, Dr Sudhakar added, was a longstanding tradition in Karnataka, with a history of over 215 years and producing some of the finest silk in the world. India ranked second globally in raw silk production, with Karnataka being the leading producer of high-quality silks within the country.
The sericulture sector contributes 2.38% to the agriculture GDP and about 0.34% to the Gross State Domestic Product (SGDP). The sector holds significant potential for transforming the state’s economy. Dr. Sudhakar highlighted that by converting major schemes into comprehensive umbrella initiatives, the departments concerned can make necessary modifications to better serve farmers engaged in various agricultural activities.
