Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that State-wide campaign to preserve and examine health of soil will be undertaken. Soil test labs will be opened in every development block for farmers’ convenience. The Chief Minister was addressing farmers’ Mahasammelan and Soil Health Card distribution function on World Soil Health Day on the premises of Indian Institute of Soil Science.
The Chief Minister said that soil also falls ill and needs treatment. He urged farmers to get soil of their farms tested. For this, obtaining Soil Health Card is necessary. The function was jointly organized by Farmers Welfare and Agriculture Department and Union Government’s Indian Institute of Soil Science at Nabi Bagh here on Saturday.
The Chief Minister launched distribution of Soil Health Cards by distributing Soil Health Cards to some farmers. Throughout the state today, 1.25 lakh Soil Health Cards were distributed.
Chouhan said that farmers will be motivated to install solar pumps. Subsidy upto 80 per cent will be given on a solar pump costing Rs 6 lakh. Ineffective, subsidy schemes for farmers involving small amounts will be abolished their funds will be used in major subsidy schemes. He said that places would be earmarked in Mandis to sell fruits-vegetables. Routes of fruits-vegetables will be prescribed. He said that the state government is working with persistence and passion to make agriculture a profitable occupation.
Urging farmers not to burn post-crop residues in fields, he said that soil is also burnt due to it. He urged farmers to also pay attention to change in crop cycle and grow horticulture crops.
Referring to important decisions taken in favour of farmers, the Chief Minister said that permanent power connections will be given to them. At present, subsidy of Rs 25,000 per annum is being given per one horsepower. Efforts are nearing completion to supply water to every field. Irrigation capacity was only 7.5 lakh hectares a decade ago, which has been increased to 36 thousand hectares now. Similarly, farmers were given loan earlier at the rate of 18 per cent. Now, farmers are being provided interest-free loans. From next year, farmers will be given 10 pe rcent subsidy on loans. Referring to crisis being faced by farmers, the Chief Minister asked them not to lose heart. Joint efforts will tide over the situation.
Director Indian Institute of Soil Science Ashok K Patra threw light on Soil Health Mission.