Maharashtra Tops NITI Aayog's Ease Of Doing Agribusiness Index

In the Economic Survey, released a day ahead of the Union Budget presentation, the Chief Economic Advisor of India and his team studies and understand various aspects of the country's economy. The survey points out what went wrong and what can be done to push the growth.

In one of the chapters that focuses on Agriculture and Food Management, the survey focuses on India's predominant occupation-agriculture.

In its narration, it spoke of the results of Agricultural Marketing and Farmer Friendly Reforms Index (AMFFRI), an index that was launched by NITI Aayog in 2016 to rank states and union territories based on the implementation of seven provisions proposed under model APMC Act like joining e-NAM initiative, special treatment to fruits and vegetables for marketing and level of taxes in mandis.

The indicators of the index are those that help indicate the ease of doing agribusiness as well as opportunities for farmers to benefit from modern trade and commerce and have wider option for sale of her/his produce. It has a score that can have minimum value "0" implying no reforms and maximum value "100" implying complete reforms in the selected areas.

The list was topped by the State of Maharashtra for implementing most of the marketing reforms. Gujarat ranks second with a score of 71.5 out of 100, closely followed by Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

"The State of Karnataka, which is considered progressive in implementing market reforms, did not figure among the top states for two reasons. It is lagging in liberalization of land lease and restrictions on felling of trees on private land. Two, it is not yet integrated with eNAM."

It further said that agriculturally developed Punjab ranks 14th with a score of 43.9 because of poor implementation of market reforms in the State.