Rs 25,000-cr agriculture budget on cards

Plans to make it unique by bringing one budget for all farm sectors A Ravindra Seshu Hyderabad: The State government is keen on bringing a special budget for agriculture in the financial year 2013-14. The agriculture sector is likely to get allocations to the tune of Rs 25,000 crore. Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, who wanted to have his stamp on the administration, has sought to make the agriculture budget a unique one to woo the peasant community. He asked Minister for Agriculture Kanna Laxminarayana to come up with a smart budget covering all sections of the farmer community.A The agriculture budget is intended to erase the impression of being let down which has been created by the power cuts and other problems. The government is making an elaborate exercise for preparing the agriculture budget in a novel way by bringing seven departments such as agriculture (its allied subject - animal husbandry, horticulture and fisheries) and cooperatives, marketing, forests and major and minor irrigation under its sphere. Finance Minister Anam Ramnarayana Reddy would present the general budget as usual on March 18. The budget components of eight departments, which have been brought under agriculture budget, would also be mentioned briefly in the general budget. But, Kanna Laxminarayana would present the agriculture budget with complete details on March 18 or the other day after that. According to informed sources, modalities are being discussed on whether to present the agriculture budget on the same day or separately. "A final decision would be taken on it after placing the matter before Speaker of AP Legislative Assembly," sources said. An official, on condition of anonymity, said that there was no provision for presenting a special budget for agriculture and it should be one of the components in general budget. "But, the agriculture minister can explain his subject in detail with the consent of Speaker of the session," he said. On the direction of the Chief Minister, Kanna Laxminaryana called the subject experts and started preparing his agriculture budget speech and it could be replete with rhetoric boastful of the novel initiatives of the government to reach out to the peasant community. He is reportedly engaging some Telugu experts for punch words in his budget speech. An official in Finance Department said, "The Agriculture Minister is very keen, even more than the Finance Minister in presenting his subject paper in the budget session in a different manner." As per the details, the agriculture budget for 2013-14, including all the other seven departments such as horticulture, forest, major and small irrigation, animal husbandry, forest, cooperation and marketing, is being made with the estimation of Rs 25,000 crore.