Over a period of time, it looks like the agricultural activities in Goa have taken a back-seat due to various reasons, major being uncertain rain fall and lack of water and irrigation.
Subsequent Governments in Goa have put in negligible efforts in educating and encouraging the farmers, supporting them through available mediums like Panchayats, Zonal Agricultural offices, etc. As a result farmers who were traditionally doing farming have gone away due to lack of support from Government. Loans, waivers, subsidies, etc. were available but these facilities were never explained to most of the illiterate farmers by Ministry of Agriculture contributing to failures in achieving enhanced agriculture produce in Goa.
It was no more viable doing traditional farming and Government did not have any plans whatsoever for suggesting alternative farming to boost the earnings of farmers. Scarcity of water was a major reason and Government did not plan any irrigation projects to solve this problem for years together. In short, agriculture was neglected.
Now, looking at the budget of 2016 presented by BJP government at the Centre, focusing on farmers and rural development and economy, irrigation projects, allocation of more funds to panchayats, etc. how does the BJP-led government in Goa want to go ahead in spending and achieving these goals. What is the mindset of the ministers? Are they going to apprise the illiterate farmers, villagers, about these new facilities or keep quite without spending money on so far neglected irrigations, lands that were kept without cultivating for years due to lack of water.
Has the Ministry of Agriculture got the data of these lands lying idle because of lack of water? Will they plan irrigation projects and achieve irrigation targets as scheduled by the Central Govt. it is going to be a huge task for Agriculture Ministry in Goa and when funds are going to be available from the Centre, I wonder whether we have got such ministers in Goa who got a mind-set and abilities like Narendra Modi does.
Let us see how best the ministers translate the rural development and irrigation projects as emphasized in the budget of 2016. I hope they will rise to occasion.
