Govt to launch Rs 2,200-crore Aatmanirbhar clean plant programme: Sitharaman

New Delhi: The government will launch a Rs 2,200-crore Aatmanirbhar clean plant program, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Wednesday.

Presenting the Budget for 2023-24, she said an agriculture accelerator fund will also be set up to encourage agri-startups in rural areas.

She further said to enhance the yield of extra-long staple cotton, the government will adopt a cluster-based and value-chain approach.

The government will also support the Hyderabad-based millet institute as a center of excellence.

At the behest of the government, United Nations declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets, with an aim to create awareness and increase the production and consumption of grain.