Subsidy worth Rs 4,227.42 crore related to agriculture, animal husbandry, horticulture, water resource, bio-technology and religious trust endowment departments for fiscal year 2017-18 was approved on Monday in the Chhattisgarh legislative Assembly.
Agriculture Minister Brijmohan Agrawal said that National Krishi Mela is being organized since last two years with the objective of doubling the income of farmers, under the scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Organic Farming Mission has also been started to promote organic farming in the State. Agriculture and Horticulture Department has chalked out Five-Year Action Plan worth Rs 574 crore for implementation of this Mission in the State, he said.
likewise, 188 clusters have been formed in six districts of state including Surguja, Surajpur, Jashpur, Koriya, Korba and Dantewada District and organic farming in 9400 acres area is being encouraged under Traditional Farming Development Scheme. Rs 15 crore 60 lakh have been provisioned, Agrawal said.
For expansion of irrigation facilities in the State under Agriculture Department, Rs 40 crore has been provisioned for Shakambhari Yojana, Rs 20 crore for micro irrigation schemes, and Rs 25 crore for agriculture irrigation scheme.
A budget of Rs 16 crore have been provisioned in the budget for 2017-18 for opening 150 new agriculture service centre in Chhattisgarh amd Rs 5.50 crore have been provisioned for distribution of 1430 agriculture equipment kit to farmers, he said.
Farmers in Jashpur district of Chhattisgarh have started farming of peppermint, to promote which Rs 40 lakh has been provisioned in the budget, the Minister said.
To promote advanced methods of farming in Chhattisgarh, baseline survey will be conducted using satellite. Special provisions have been made for horticulture crops, he said.
Agrawal informed that to establish bio-technology related industries and create employment opportunities, bio-tech park will be established soon.
He said that at the time of formation of Chhattisgarh State about 13.28 lakh hectares of land had been under irrigation facilities but in December 2016 the acreage under irrigation had been increased to 20.03 lakh hectares.
The percentage increase had been from 23 to 35. Bhagirathi Mission had been launched to complete the unfinished 106 irrigation projects, Agrawal said.
About 86 irrigation projects would be completed in a year's period. In two year period two lakh additional hectares of land will be brought under cultivation. Special projects had been envisaged for the completion of Kelo, Hasdeo and Arpa-Bhainsajaar schemes, he said.
An amount of Rs 4 crore had been allocated Karang-Ahiran link irrigation project. About Rs 200 crore had been allocated to major Kelo, Kharang and Maniyari reservoirs in the fiscal 2017-2018 under the Prime Minister Irrigation Project Fast Track, Agrawal said.
He said that Sirpur-Mohamela Barrage will be built at a cost of Rs 176 crore.
The Minister added that Rs 3.30 crore had been allocated for 15 projects in the 2017-2018 Budget under the Prime Minister Agriculture Irrigation Project. About Rs 10 crore 55 lakh had been set apart for the Solar Minor Irrigation Project. Efforts will be made for the completion of four Micro-Irrigation and six Solar Minor Irrigation Projects by the end of the fiscal 2017-2018.
Agrawal said that five mandis had been uplinked to the National Agriculture Market system for the benefit of farmers in getting better remunerative prices.
Nine more mandis will be uplinked to the markets. Hundred godowns will be built at seven mandis. 'Haat-Bazaars' will be opened for the purchase and sale of vegetables and fruits at 100 different places, he said.
About 700 dairies had been sanctioned for the purpose in the fiscal 2017-2018. Rescue vans will be provided for the transportation of injured animals in all the 27 districts. livestock Insurance Project had been introduced in the entire State, Agrawal said.