The Central Government’s schemes National Agriculture Market (eNAM), Kisan Rail Seva and Krishi Udaan Yojana have played a crucial role in advancing agricultural transportation and promoting rural economy.
The National Agriculture Market (eNAM) is an electronic trading platform for farmers that integrates various Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMC) across India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched this initiative on 14 April 2016. eNAM empowers farmers while enabling them to sell their produce through an online platform with smooth online payment services.
eNAM platform
The eNAM platform operates as a centralized hub for all APMC-related services, offering single-window system for accessing information and services. The services include quality and pricing data, purchase and sale offers, and direct payment settlements into farmers’ accounts. Presently, a total of 1389 mandis (crop markets) from 23 states and 4 union territories are associated with eNAM platform.
Success of eNAM
As of 11 February 2024, eNAM achieved registrations from over 1.77 crore farmers and more than 2.53 lakh traders. Till December 2023, a total of 9.986 crore metric tons of commodities and 30.99 crore units of various products such as bass, betel, leaves, coconut, lemon, and sweet corn, were traded on the platform amounting to Rs 31.9 lakh crore. Additionally, 3510 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) have been successfully registered on the eNAM platform.
Government’s schemes
The Central Government’s schemes Kisan Rail Seva and Krishi Udaan Yojana have played a crucial role in advancing agricultural transportation and promoting rural economy. These initiatives focus on facilitating the organized movement of perishable goods, resulting in better market access for farmers.
Kisan Rail Seva
Kisan Rail Seva was started in August 2020. As of 15 November 2023, a total of 2364 Kisan Rail services have been operational, easing the transportation of around 7.93 lakh tons of perishable goods. Until 31 March 2022, a 50 percent subsidy was provided on the transportation of fruits and vegetables through Kisan Rail. Later, the Railway Ministry provided a 45 percent subsidy on these services.
Krishi Udaan Yojana
Krishi Udaan Yojana was launched in August 2020. This scheme aims to facilitate uninterrupted, cost-effective, and time-bound air transportation services for agricultural products, especially from the hilly and tribal regions of the North-East. The scheme promotes the smooth movement of agricultural goods by providing exemptions from landing charges, parking fees, and other related charges. With a network of 58 airports nationwide, including 25 in priority areas and 33 in various parts of the country, this scheme is bridging the gap between rural farmers and markets.
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