Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan hailed the restructured Goods and Services Tax on Saturday. He said that the Modi government's decision to reduce GST on agriculture equipment will prove to be a boon to farmers and will result in increased production.
Addressing the press conference at his residence in Bhopal, Chouhan said that the GST cut will help farmers save money on the purchase of tractors, rotavators, paddy sowing equipment, sprinklers, sprayers, etc.
For instance, he said, if a tractor costs Rs 9 lakh, then farmers would be able to save at least Rs 65000. Even tractor companies have come forward to announce the reduction in prices of their product.
Boost to Organic Farming
Likewise, agriculture-related allied sectors like honey farming, cattle rearing, and fisheries have also been exempted from the GST, and the farmers will get its direct benefit. He added that as the milk has been exempted from the GST, the dairy sector will get the much-necessary boost.
He further said that GST has been reduced on cement and iron, and therefore the construction cost of PMAY houses, schools and panchayat buildings will get cheaper.
Fertiliser shortage
Speaking on fertiliser and urea shortages across states like Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that he has asked CMs of all the states of the country to take strict action against the black marketing of fertilisers and against those shopkeepers who force farmers to buy two bottles of pesticides along with the sack of fertiliser.
