New Delhi, Feb 1 (IANS): Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman prioritised farmers' welfare and rural demand enhancement in the Interim Budget presented in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.

Referring to farmers as 'Annadata,' Sitharaman mentioned the periodic increase in Minimum Support Prices for their produce.

Underlining the commitment to the agricultural sector, she said that every year, under PM-KISAN SAMMAN Yojana, direct financial assistance is provided to 11.8 crore farmers, including marginal and small farmers, while crop insurance is given to 4 crore farmers under PM Fasal Bima Yojana.

These measures, along with other programmes, aim to support farmers in producing food for both the nation and the global market, with free ration provisions benefiting 80 crore people.

The interim budget promises to elevate value addition in agriculture, focusing on boosting farmers' income.

Sitharaman also pledged to encourage private and public investments in post-harvest activities, including aggregation, modern storage, supply chains, processing, and branding. She envisioned inclusive growth and productivity, facilitated by farmer-centric policies, income support, risk coverage, and technology promotion through start-ups.

Highlighting successful schemes, Sitharaman mentioned the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Yojana, benefiting 2.4 lakh Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and 60,000 individuals.

The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana, with 38 lakh farmers and 10 lakh employment generated, and the Electronic National Agriculture Market integrating 1361 mandis, were also commended for their contributions.

The Minister, addressed the rural economic landscape, stated that these initiatives, coupled with the provision of basic necessities, have increased real income in rural areas, addressing economic needs, spurring growth, and generating employment.

She also cited the Atma Nirbhar Oil Seeds Abhiyan, a strategy aimed at achieving self-reliance in oil seeds such as mustard, groundnut, sesame, soybean, and sunflower. She said that this will cover research for high-yielding varieties, modern farming techniques, market linkages, procurement, value addition, and crop insurance.

Building on the success of Nano Urea, Sitharaman announced the expanded application of Nano DAP on various crops across all agro-climatic zones, reinforcing the government's commitment to innovation and sustainable agriculture.