The union budget has shown the finance minister's commitment to agriculture and agricultural reforms by announcing so many sops for farming and food processing sector.

There is a clear emphasis on infrastructure development and modernisation in agriculture practices.

The main areas highlighted by the Budget are focus on agricultural productivity especially in states like Bihar, Orissa, Chhatisgargh, where the agriculture growth is still limited but huge opportunities lie untapped reduction in wastage of produce credit support to farmers; and  a thrust to the food processing sector

Emphasis of extending greend revolution to eastern India is important from the perspective of attaining the food security.

A proposal to organise 60,000 "pulses and oil seed villages" in rain-fed areas during 2010-11 and provide an integrated intervention for water harvesting, watershed management and soil health, to enhance the productivity of the dry land areas are important initiatives for stimulating growth in productivity of pulses and oilseeds.

The focus on eastern India especially on Bihar and Orissa, where the National Spot Exchange is already active in helping farmers, will support spot exchange activities substantially.

Nutrient-based fertilizer subsidy is indeed a reform-oriented initiative, and will have a positive impact.

Interest subvention of 2 per cent in case of timely repayment of crop loan is also a wonderful step for better compliance with credit repayment schedule.
The union budget is a well balanced, growth and reform-oriented budget, which does not pinch any segment, but supports various sectors strongly in equal measure.