Chief Minister Harish Rawat said that in addition to the premium amount accruable from the Government in crop insurance by farmers, the government will also bear 50 per cent of the premium to be paid by the farmers. The State Government will bear the entire cost of the premium incurred under cattle insurance by BPl families and members of scheduled castes. The CM said this while chairing a meet on the subject of new schemes of the agriculture, animal husbandry, dairy and horticulture departments late on Thursday night.
Addressing the officials, the CM said that the state food processing mission will also be started soon with the aim of developing the State into a food processing hub. He said that a ‘one village one farm’ scheme will be implemented in order to strengthen the rural economy. Under this scheme clusters will be developed in the villages and crops selected on the basis of specific conditions of the village will also cultivated. Arrangement will be made to facilitate the working capital for executing this scheme, he said. Stating that the State Government is taking various measures to improve the state of agriculture in the State, the CM further averred that he government is eager to provide assistance to farmers in need.
Directing officials to prepare a plan for making of vermi-compost, Rawat said that the unemployed youth should also be encouraged to take up this activity. The vermi-compost manure made by them will be purchased by the government. In addition to this the people will also be encouraged to undertake cluster-based farming of onion, ginger and turmeric.Directing officials to prepare a systematic scheme to achieve this purpose, he said that arrangements should also be made for aspects including insurance, availability of machinery, communication of the purchase price information to farmers. The CM also said that silk farming also needs to be encouraged more in the State by widening the scope for women involved in it in addition to women’s self help groups. Vacant or barren lands in the villages can be put to use for this purpose, suggested Rawat while also directing officials to draft a scheme for facilitating finance for the same. Regarding scope for animal husbandry in the State, the CM said that interest-free loan should be provided to cattle owners for rearing between five to 10 cows. Efforts should be made to achieve the target of establishing 500 dairies in the State, said Rawat.