The union minister of Civil Aviation has recently launched the scheme Krishi UDAN 2.0. Earlier in August 2020, Krishi UDAN was launched for the very first time. In this article, we will read about all the important updates related to the scheme. We will also learn about important terms related to the scheme.
What is the objective of Krishi UDAN 2.0?
The main objective of Krishi UDAN 2.0 is to facilitate the movement of agricultural produce by air.
An introduction to Krishi UDAN scheme
The scheme Krishi UDAN is expanded as Krishi Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik. It is part of the UDAN scheme. The scheme was launched in August 2020. It was launched on international and national routes to assist farmers in transporting agricultural products. The step was taken to help farmers in improving their value realisations.
What is the UDAN scheme?
The UDAN scheme was launched in 2016 by the Ministry of Civil Aviation. It is a regional connectivity scheme to develop the regional aviation market.
Objective
The objective of UDAN is to create affordable yet profitable flights so that every Indian citizen, even a small-town man, can experience the flight. Every year UDAN day is celebrated on 21st October. This year the Ministry of Civil Aviation has flagged off six airline routes on UDAN Day. The routes are set up to expand the aerial connectivity of North-East India.
What are the key points related to Krishi UDAN 2.0?
The significant features of the Krishi UDAN 2.0 scheme are as follows:
- Krishi UDAN emphasised transporting perishable food products from tribal and hilly areas, especially from northeastern states.
- The Krishi UDAN scheme will implement 53 airports across the country.
- These airports are planned to provide access to regional domestic markets and connect them to international gateways.
- The scheme has plans set to reduce agri-goods logistics charges.
- The scheme is supposed to facilitate the movement of agri- produce by air transportation.
- The scheme aims to provide a full waiver of landing, parking, terminal navigation and landing charges.
- The scheme facilitated the development of hub and spoke models and a freight grid.
- The scheme establishes a convergence mechanism in collaboration with other government departments and regulatory bodies.
- The scheme will provide concessions to freight forwarders, airlines and stakeholders to enhance air transportations of agri-produce.
- The scheme aims to develop an online platform, E-KUSHAL.
E-KUSHAL: It expands as Krishi Udaan for Sustainable Holistic Agri Logistics. It is developed to facilitate information dissemination to all the stakeholders.
The scheme has given rise to new avenues of growth for the agriculture sector.
- The scheme helps to double farmers’ income by removing hurdles in logistics, transportation, and supply chain of farm produce.
- The scheme aims to reduce the problem of wastage of agricultural food wastes.
Related Indian initiatives
The government of India has launched the following schemes and initiatives to protect farmers’ dignity and increase their incomes.
PM Kisan Scheme:
The Government of India has decided to support the marginal farmers by providing them up to INR 6000 annually as a minimum support price.
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maandhan Yojna:
This is a pension supporting scheme for small and marginal farmers.
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana:
This is an insurance-based scheme. It is a premium based scheme where the government provides a 2% premium on Kharif crops, 1.5% on Rabi crops, and 5% on Horticulture crops.
Kisan Credit Card Scheme:
The scheme was issued in 1988. The scheme aims to provide short-term formal credit to the farmers. The scheme was set to ensure the credit requirements for cultivators in agriculture and fisheries.
Pashu Kisan Credit Card Scheme:
Under this scheme, the government offers loans to the farmers to purchase dairy animals such as cows, buffaloes, goats, etc.
Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana:
The scheme was implemented to promote organic cultivation in India. The scheme improves soil content and organic matter content in the soil.
National Agricultural Market:
The government of India has launched an e-market platform. The market aims to provide transparency and healthy competition to the cultivators. The market supports the creation of infrastructure to enable e-marketing.
A Way Forward
The convergence of Agriculture and Aviation is vital to ensure the profiles and development of farmers. The primary factors affecting the convergence of agriculture and aviation are biofuels, drones, and schemes like Krishi UDAN. Agriculture and Aviation are two important factors related to the nation’s economy. They have a considerable contribution to the country’s GDP. So the government should make efforts to enhance both sectors.