Union Budget 2016: Richard van der Merwe, Vice Chairman & Managing Director and CEO of Bayer CropScience Ltd

Jaitley has tried his level best to bring back focus to the core sectors with his nine pillars agenda.

Feb 29: Richard van der Merwe, Vice Chairman & Managing Director and CEO of Bayer CropScience Ltd shares his views about the union budget 2016:

The Union Budget has set the direction for a balanced growth, emphasising on increasing agricultural productivity and reducing rural distress through a host of social reforms. The Finance Minister’s proposal to focus on agriculture and farmers’ welfare and allocation of over Rs 5000 crore towards crop insurance scheme, direct benefit transfers for fertilizers, enhanced irrigation acreage and agri credit targets to the tune of Rs 9 lakh crore is a very welcome move.

The outlay towards development of roads and national highways will help in the movement of perishable goods, alleviating wastage of produce and maximizing returns for farmers on one hand and driving accessibility and price parity across the country for end consumers on the other. All in all the finance minister has tried his level best to bring back focus to the core sectors with his nine pillars agenda.(Also Read- Union Budget 2016: Budget focused on rural development says Narendra Modi)

Richard van der Merwe is the Vice Chairman & Managing Director and CEO of Bayer CropScience Ltd. Based at the India headquarters in Thane, Richard has been responsible for the Bayer Group business activities in South Asia since February 2014.