In a major push to the rural economy, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced key measures in the Finance Bill aimed at strengthening agriculture, fisheries, and cooperatives. The government has expanded tax deductions for primary cooperative societies-earlier limited to milk, fruits, and vegetables-to now include cattle feed and cottonseed. This move recognizes the integrated nature of rural value chains and aims to boost value addition at the grassroots level. The announcement is expected to benefit farmers, dairy producers, and cooperative institutions across India. Will this step accelerate rural growth and income generation? Here’s what it means for the agri and cooperative sector.