Mera Khet-Meri Mati’ sub-plan is now being implemented in the State through MNREGA convergence for making agriculture profitable. The scheme will benefit over 52 lakh small and marginal farmers who are eligible under various categories of MNREGA through beneficiary-oriented works on their arable and non-arable land.
The ambitious scheme being launched as per wish of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will lead to increase in total productivity, production and farmers’ income.
The novel scheme being launched by the Panchayats and Rural Development Department will be implemented through MNREGA convergence by Farmers’ Welfare and Agriculture Development and Horticulture departments.
Panchayats, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Gopal Bhargava informed that under ‘Mera Khet-Meri Mati’ sub-plan, beneficiary-oriented works will be undertaken through
MNREGA convergence on the farms of small and marginal farmers, who are job card holders, and also their residential land.
Its implementation agency will be concerning Gram Panchayat. The job card holder family or any of its members will have to work on their own land for which they will be paid wages like other labourers.
Farmers belonging to SC, ST, primitive tribes, notified tribes and BPl families will be eligible under the scheme.
The families headed by women or disabled persons and families who are beneficiaries of land reform programme will also be eligible for the sub-plan.
Beneficiaries of Indira Aawas Yojana, certificate holders under Forest Rights Act and small and marginal farmers as described under Agriculture loan Waiver and Relief Scheme-2008 can also avail sub-plan’s benefit.
As per implementation-related guidelines and directives of Mahatma Gandhi NAREGA, personal works on the farms of above-mentioned categories of farmers can be undertaken only on the basis of various conditions. Beneficiaries can start work on the project taken up on the land of their barn (khet-khaliyan) or their residential land. Such works will be compulsory part of concerning Gram Panchayat’s Shelf Off Project.
On arable land, works of land leveling and land reform, farm bunding, construction of wells under Kapildhara sub-plan, farm pond construction, nullah-bunding or minor stop-dam, nursery, farm horticulture and farm forestry can be undertaken under the sub-plan.
The works which can be undertaken on non-arable land include construction of nodep, bio-gas plants, vermi-compost, shades for breeding of bovine animals, goats, pigs, poultry etc.
Similarly, mini godowns for storing bio-manure and agriculture produce by self-help groups associated with National Rural livelihoods Mission and community shades for livelihood activities can also be constructed.