The Agriculture Department has started encouraging the farmers to sow more of pulses crop in Rabi season 2015-16.
In this season, the Department has set the sowing target for paddy , pulses, oilseed and vegetable crops in a total of 17 lakh hectares area, officials stated. This includes the maximum area of 8.75 lakh hectares finalised for sowing of pulses crop. Agriculture Minister Brijmohan Agrawal informed that in Rabi season 2015-16, the State Government has set the target of sowing pulses crop on 8.75 lakh hectares of area.
As per the given target, 3.60 lakh hectares have been marked for sowing gram, 30,000 hectares for lentils, 30 ,000 hectares for moong, 15,000 hectares for urad, 40,000 hectares for kulthi and 3.50 lakh hectares have been marked for sowing Tivra crop.
The Minister informed that two lakh hectares of area have been finalised for oilseeds crops and necessary preparations are underway.
This includes 1.50 lakh hectares for mustard, 70 ,000 hectares for Alsi, 10,000 hectares for Kusum, 15,000 hectares for sunflower, 5,000 hectares for sesame and and 25 hectares of land for sowing peanuts.
Agrawal informed that this year, only one lakh hectares of land will be utilised for paddy crop in summer. likewise, 1.60 lakh hectares of land will be utilised for cultivation of wheat and 85,000 hectares for corn.
He informed that this year, the Department has planned to utilize 1.65 lakh hectares of land for cultivation of vegetables in summer season.
This includes 35,000 hectares for sugarcane cultivation. Sowing for crops by farmers during the forthcoming Rabi season would be taken up in an area of 10.2 lakh hectares in Raipur division, officials stated.
This was informed by officials attending a review meeting chaired by Agriculture Production Commisioner Ajay Singh at the new circuit house in the city. Singh during the review meeting convened for Raipur and Durg divisions had also asked officials to encourage farmers to take up pulses and oilseeds crops during the summer season instead of paddy on the their fields.
The officials also informed that sowing in 6.07 lakh hectares had been proposed in Durg division for the Rabi season.
It may also be recalled that Chhattisgarh Government would now come to the aid of farmers with extension of ‘seed funding deadline’ whose crops were damaged due to scanty rainfall while leaving their farm lands without any crop output for the Kharif season.
Agriculture Minister Brijmohan Agarwal had stated that Tehsil farmers whose Kharif crops are damaged due to drought or other seasonal effects will receive the Seeding Funding amount till December 31. The date is extended for the sake of farmers, officials stated. Farmers can get the amount only from the Processing Centres functional under Seed and Agriculture Development Corporation or its cooperative societies, he said.
Agarwal said details about the Seed Funding extension can be collected from the Field Officers of the Agriculture Department. Moreover, in yet another relief measure for the farmers in drought-hit tehsils, the Chhattisgarh government had also decided to provide a grant to operate diesel pumps for irrigation of Kharif crops.
A circular in this regard was issued from Agriculture Department in Mantralaya to Director (Agriculture), all collectors and Deputy Director of agriculture department posted in the districts recently.
A decision for providing grant to farmers of drought-hit tehsils to operate diesel pumps for irrigation of Kharif crop was taken by Chief Minister Raman Singh while chairing Cabinet meeting recently, informed Agriculture Minister Brijmohan Agrawal. The circular issued from the Mantralaya to officials concerned carry information regarding grant limit, eligibility, process for grant and its payment and other details.
As per the circular, farmers of areas which recorded rainfall less that 50 per cent till July 15 and area declared drought-hit by the State Government will be eligible for the grant.
Similarly, the areas which did not receive rainfall for 15 days after July 15, 60 per cent rainfall or less than 60 per cent would also be entitled for the benefit. The farmer of areas belonging to tehsils declared as drought-hit by the Government and did not have irrigation facility irrigation would also be eligible for the benefit.
As per information received, the farmers who did not have diesel pumps would also be entitled to draw the benefit of Government scheme but the arrangement of pumps should be done by him. Benefits will be ensured to a farmer against two hectare land. Chief Minister Raman Singh on September 14 had also sanctioned `2.69 crore for power connections to be provided to “non-feasible” irrigation pumps of 344 farmers belonging to the Scheduled Castes community.