Chhattisgarh — one of the key rice bowls of India is reporting success with its plan for motivating farmers to even grow horticulture crops on their land apart from their traditional paddy crop.
The efforts of the Chhattisgarh Government to convince farmers to even grow fruits and vegetables had already started paying dividends. The area under cultivation of vegetables has increased from 3.13 lakh hectares to 3.51 lakh hectare, while production from the same has increased from 3.69 lakh metric tonnes to 4.58 lakh metric tonnes so far, officials stated.
Apart from this, under the scheme initiated to encourage small farmers engaged in vegetable cultivation on river banks, the State Government also provides subsidy of `4,700 per 0.4 hectare.
The State Government initiated two new schemes in year 2012-13 to increase the income of horticulture farmers. Moreover, the State Government also provides subsidy of `13,500 for installation of drip-irrigation scheme in 500 sq metre in farms of BPl and marginal farmers, officials stated.
In the year 2009-10, total area under cultivation of fruits in the State was 1.47 lakh hectares and total production from the same was 12.14 lakh metric tonnes which increased to 1.85 lakh hectare and 15.69 lakh metric tonnes respectively in year 2011-12.
The National Agriculture Development Scheme is being implemented since year 2007-08 with objectives of expanding cultivation area of fruits, vegetables and spice crops and supplying advanced high-quality seeds to farmers. Earlier under Shakhambari Scheme, subsidy was provided for only electricity and diesel based irrigation pumps but now farmers using petrol based irrigation pumps are also eligible for availing subsidy under this scheme.
Within a short period of 14 years since its formation, Chhattisgarh has created its own identity at a national-level for taking maximum number of decisions regarding farmer welfare and interest in last one decade. These decisions have borne positive and promising results. In Chhattisgarh, production of cereals has increased by 30 per cent, yield of pulses has increased by 69 per cent and that of oilseed crops has increased by 10 per cent. Moreover, area under cultivation of horticulture crops has also multiplied by eight times. In year 2003-04, this area under cultivation of horticulture crops was 92 thousand 176 hectares, which has increased to 7.25 lakh hectare in year 2013-14.
One of the significant decisions in farmers’ interest taken by State government under the leadership of Chief Minister Raman Singh is the zero-interest agricultural loan scheme, which has been implemented in the current financial year.
Under this scheme, State government has provided interest-free agricultural loans worth `2438 crores in Kharif 2014 to more than 10.40 lakh farmers in the State, who are members of Primary Agricultural Credit Cooperative Societies. Distribution of interest-free loans under the scheme for Rabi 2014 has also been started.
This year, farmers will be provided zero-interest loan of `650 crores for Rabi crops. In year 2012-13, Chhattisgarh Government introduced first separate agriculture budget for the State.
In the current financial year 2014-15, budget provision of `8,459 crores has been included for agriculture and agro-based sectors. At the time of state formation, only 72,000 farmers in Chhattisgarh had electricity connection for their irrigation pumps. But in last one decade, a special campaign for electrification of irrigation pumps was launched under the leadership of Chief Minister Raman Singh.
As a result, the number of electrified irrigation pumps has increased to nearly 3.40 lakh.
Chhattisgarh has attained self-dependence in termsof electricity production and has also become the first state of the country to achieve zero-power cut status. Farmers in Chhattisgarh are provided free electricity supply of 7,500 unit per year for their agricultural pumps of 5horsepower. Farmers are also provided subsidy of `75,000 for electrification of irrigation pumps. Moreover, they are given redemption in meter fare, fixed charges and power cess also.
As a positive effect of agricultural development schemes, increase of 30 per cent in yield of cereals, increase of 69 per cent in production of oilseed crops and hike of 10 per cent in cultivation of pulses has been recorded in Chhattisgarh. The State has been awarded twice with prestigious Krishi Karman Award by the Central government.
To empower the farmers of the State with advanced technology, as many as 300 agriculture equipment service centres have been established in Chhattisgarh. Rural youth are provided subsidy for opening these state-funded Agriculture Equipment Service Centers. Under Forest Right Certification Act 2006, provision of supplying free certified seeds to 3.40 lakh forest right certificate holder farmers has been ncluded, for which budget allotment of `20 crore has been made in year2014-15.
Free certified seeds of paddy and corn have already been distributed to forest right certificate holder farmers for cultivation on nearly 1.5 lakh acres of land.
The State Government has also opened number of agriculture colleges to encourage youngsters towards agriculture-related education. In year 2003-04, there were only 20 institutes in state for agriculture education. But in year 2013-14, the number of agriculture education institutes has increased to 31. In this duration, the number government agriculture colleges have also increased from 4 to 12 at present. Moreover, two new government horticulture colleges have also been established in the State.
The State Government has opened new Agriculture Science Centers in Bijapur and Narayanpur districts (formed in year 2007) and also in Gariaband and Balrampur-Ramanujganjdistricts (formed in 2012).
Nearly one-third population in the State is of Scheduled Tribe that mostly resides in remote forest areas. Keeping this in view, the Chief Minister has announced implementation of seed subsidy scheme for such areas in year 2014-15, in order to expand the area of traditionally cultivated crops of Kodo, Kutki and Ragi crops. Area of horticulture crops in the State has increased by eight times.
Under Drip-Irrigation Scheme initiated in year 2005-06,subsidy of 75 per cent is provided to small and marginal farmers and that of 50 per cent is provided to big farmers for installation of drip instrument. Till date, about 38,640 farmers have been benefited under Sprinkler Irrigation Scheme and nearly 7,126 farmers have availed the provisions of Drip Irrigation Scheme. State-sponsored Micro-Irrigation Scheme was initiated in year 2102-13.