Maharashtra most farmer friendly state: NITI Aayog Index

According to NITI Aayog’s index on reforms in the farm sector, Maharashtra has been adjudged the most farmer friendly state in the country followed by Gujarat and Rajasthan.

About NITI Aayog :

NITI Aayog’- National Institution for Transforming India is a Government of India policy think-tank established by the Narendra Modi government to replace the Planning Commission.

• The stated aim for NITI Aayog’s creation is to foster involvement and participation in the economic policy-making process by the State Governments of India.
• The Union Government of India announced the formation of NITI Aayog on 1 January 2015, and the first meeting was held on 8 February 2015. The Prime Minister serves as the Ex-officio
• Niti Aayog has started new initiative on the advise of Prime Minister Mr.Narendra Modi called ‘Niti Lectures: Transforming India’.
• The aim of this initiative is to invite globally reputed policy makers, experts, administrators to India to share their knowledge, expertise, experience in policy making and good governance with Indian counterparts.
• This initiative will be series of lectures started with first lecture delivered by Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam. He delivered lecture on subject called “India and global economy” at Vigyan bhawan, New Delhi.
• Prime Minister spoke about the idea behind this lecture series and stated that his vision for India is rapid transformation not gradual evolution.

About Farming Index :

The Index is aimed at helping the states to identify and address problems in the farm sector, which suffer from low growth, low farm income and agrarian distress. 

• The Aayog’s ‘Agriculture Marketing and Farmer Friendly Reforms Index’ was based on initiatives taken by the states in implementing farm sector reforms.
• Termed the Agricultural Marketing and Farmer Friendly Reforms Index, it ranks states on three major parameters — reforms in agricultural marketing, land lease and forestry on private land. The minimum score of zero implies no reforms at all; a score of 100 would mean the opposite and the friendliest to farmers.
• Maharashtra got 81.7 and Gujarat was second at 71.5, Puducherry, Delhi and Jammu & Kashmir got the lowest three grades, of 4.8, 7.3 and 7.4, respectively.
• The state of Maharashtra achieves first rank in implementation of various reforms. The state has implemented most of the marketing reforms and it offers best environment for doing agribusiness among all the states and UTs.
• The areas identified for action by NITI Aayog with a view to double farm income include agriculture market reforms, land lease reform, and reforms related to forestry on private land.