The Union Government is planning to set up a National Council for Agriculture and Rural Transformation (NCART), which will act as a comprehensive federal body and formulate policies and programmes for the agriculture sector. This was reported by Indian Express newspaper.
The idea, mooted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare as part of a 100-day action plan for the new government, is aimed at coordinated action in the agriculture sector, the paper quoted sources as saying.
This has been discussed during the Group of Secretaries (GoS) meetings chaired by Agriculture Secretary Manoj Ahuja. The group also includes secretaries of the ministries of rural development, cooperatives and panchayati raj.
The broad contours of the proposed council are likely to be out by the end of this month, sources said. The federal body for agriculture and rural transformation can be constituted on the lines of the Goods and Services Tax Council, with representation from both the Centre and the states. The NCART can also have representation from both the Centre and the states.
The GST Council is a constitutional body, but the status of the proposed council is yet to be finalised. Agriculture is a state subject in the Constitution of India. It is included in Entry 14 of List II (State List) in the Seventh Schedule. However, the Centre also runs several schemes in this area. In recent years, the budgetary allocation of the Ministry of Agriculture has increased manifold.
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