Govt to boost scientific farming!
11/02/2020
PATNA: Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi said on Monday that the project to incentivize and promote new scientific farming and crop cycle as necessitated by irregular weather conditions would be introduced in all the districts of the state from the next fiscal.
Modi said such a farming practice is already under implementation in 1,442 acres of land spread over 40 villages on an experimental basis in Gaya, Nawada, Nalanda, Bhagalpur, Banka, Munger, Khagaria and Madhubani districts and would now be replicated in rest of the districts.
The farming activities of selected farmers who have opted for this experimental farming practice in the eight districts are being guided and monitored by agriculture scientists, so that new crop cycle comes into use in the state in view of the adverse conditions caused by climate change and extreme weather conditions, Modi also said, adding that the government has allotted Rs60.50 crore to be spent over the next five financial years in the selected 40 villages.
Modi was addressing the farmers who had been invited to participate in the pre-budget consultative exercise on the agriculture sector to get their suggestions. Principal secretaries of finance and agriculture departments — S Siddharth and Sudhir Kumar, respectively — were also present on the occasion.
Modi said 1.20 crore farmers were getting money under various schemes directly into their personal bank accounts through the direct benefit transfer method, while Rs1,157.21 crore had been disbursed among 18.85 lakh farmers as assistance to them due to adverse weather conditions and natural disaster in the last two financial years.
Modi said the government has been trying to promote organic farming in the state due to the increased demand for farm products produced by that method. Accordingly, each farmer choosing to practice organic farming was being given Rs11,500 per acre of land as input subsidy. The budgetary allotment of Rs155 crore had been made for it in the 2019-20 fiscal.
He also pointed to 40-80% subsidy being given on the purchase of farm equipment, as part of the government’s bid for farm mechanization, adding that general category farmers were getting 75% subsidy, while those belonging to the extremely backward caste, scheduled caste and scheduled tribe sections were given 80%.
Source ( The Times Of India)
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