Role of State Government in the Development of Agriculture and Allied Activities in Maharashtra (2021-22)

The agriculture & allied activities sector has always remained a focal point of the economy as well as the social system. Over the decades, more than 50 per cent of the State population is dependent on the sector for livelihood. Livestock, dairy and fisheries play an important role in providing supplementary income opportunities to rural households having agriculture as the main source of livelihood. These activities have contributed to the food basket, draught animal power & employment generation and also help in maintaining ecological balance. It also provides essential nutrients at a low cost to the livestock-rearing families. Livestock has become an important source of income for millions of rural families and plays an important role in achieving the goal of doubling farmers’ income. Dairy is a supplementary activity to agriculture, which has the potential to generate additional income & employment opportunities for rural households besides improving nutrition levels. The State has a coastline of 720 km with 173 fish landing centres and the area suitable for marine fishing is 1.12 lakh sq. km. In addition to this, the area suitable for inland and brackish water fishing in the State is 4.18 lakh ha and 0.10 lakh ha respectively. Forest provides major produce like timber & firewood and minor produce like bamboo, tendu leaves, gum, grass, etc. In this research paper, we have tried to explain how animal husbandry is more dependent on agriculture and how the government has developed agricultural allied activity to increase the income of the farmers. How agriculture can provide supplementary income to farmers with the help of the various policy which are made by the government of Maharashtra.