Punjab Government has initiated a subsidy scheme for the fencing of fields of the farmers hailing from Kandi region to save their crops from the wild animals, under which 50 percent subsidy will be provided to the farmers for fencing their cultivable agricultural fields.
“The ratio of subsidy, to be given to farmers, is 50 percent and it would be increased to 60 percent if the fencing is done by the self-help group of farmers,” said the state Forest Minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot on Wednesday.
He said that the farmers would be given a subsidy of Rs 125 per meter for barbed wire fencing with wooden planks (balli) or fence posts; and the farmers' self-help groups would get subsidy of Rs 150 per meter. “Farmers would be provided subsidy of Rs 175 per meter and farmers' self-help groups Rs 210 per meter for erecting barbed wire fencing and with cement or angle iron fence posts,” he said.
The Minister said that the maximum limit of fencing allowed under this scheme for Small Farmers (2.5 acres) will be 400 running meters, for marginal farmers (2.5-5 acre) will be 600 running meters and for farmers with large land holdings (more than 5 for acres), it will be 1000 running meters. For self-help group of farmers, it will be 2,000 running meters.
“Under the scheme, the priority would be given to those farmers and self-help groups whose cultivable land is adjacent to the forest lands and agriculture is being done on that land. The scheme will not be apply on barren and non-cultivable lands,” he said.
Dharmsot said that the beneficiary farmers will get benefits through direct benefit transfer (DBT) in their bank accounts after field monitoring of fencing on their agricultural fields.
“For this purpose, the farmers can contact the nearest Divisional Forest Officer or Range Forest Officer for registering themselves. In this regard Forest Circle, Rupnagar, SAS Nagar, Dasuya, Pathankot, Garhshankar and Hoshiarpur can be contacted,” he said.
The farmers belonging to Kandi areas of Rupnagar, SAS Nagar, Dasuya, Pathankot, Garh Shankar and Hoshiarpur would be eligible to get benefit of this scheme, he added.