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National Council for Agriculture and Rural Transformation
Context:
The central government is considering the establishment of a National Council for Agriculture and Rural Transformation (NCART).
More on News:
- The proposed body will serve as a comprehensive federal entity responsible for formulating policies and programmes for the agricultural sector.
- It is apart of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare‘s 100-day action plan.
- It aims to drive coordinated actions in the agriculture sector.
- It will encompass ministries like Rural Development, Cooperation, and Panchayati Raj.
Proposed Structure:
- The NCART is expected to be set up on the lines of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council.
- Like the GST Council, it will likely have representation from both the central government and state governments.
- Unlike GST Council being a constitutional body, the status of the proposed body is yet to be finalised.
- Purpose and Role: Its primary goal is to transform rural areas by promoting sustainable agricultural practices, improving livelihoods, and enhancing overall rural development.
Agricultural Federalism in India
- Agricultural federalism in India refers to the distribution of powers and responsibilities related to agriculture between the centre and states.
- It allows states to have authority over certain facets of agriculture, while the central government oversees broader policies and schemes that impact the agricultural sector nationwide.
- Seventh Schedule of the Constitution has distributed powers between the Centr and the States under three lists:
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- Union List: Taxes and duties on income and assets, explicitly excepting those pertaining to agriculture.
- State List: Agricultural education, research, pests, and plant diseases, rents, and transfer of agricultural land, Agricultural loans, markets, fairs, Taxes on agricultural income.
- Concurrent List: Transfer of property excluding agricultural land, Various contracts not related to agricultural land.
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