Chief Minister Raman Singh said on Sunday that his Government has chalked out an extensive action plan to double the income of farmers in the state.
The key points of Government’s action plan will focus on measures to reduce input cost of farming and increasing the crops’ yield.
The action plan was unveiled in a monthly radio talk ‘Raman Ke Goth’ and his announcement was considered a well-planned move to prevent any possibility of farmers’ protest in Chhattisgarh.
Reports say that there is a clear uneasiness among farmers in the State as Government backtracked from its poll commitment of procuring paddy crops from farmers at the support price of Rs2100 per quintal besides Rs300 per quintal bonus amount.
Considering the onset of Monsoon, Singh chose farming and calamity management as the topics of the Radio talk which was aired from Raipur Centre of Akashwan on Sunday morning. The programme was broadcasted from all the Akashwani centres in the State and also many television news channels.
Singh stated in his radio talk, “I would like to tell farmers that they should work without any stress or tension. We have made all the arrangements for you,’’. He further said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has for the first time called for doubling the income of farmers within given time-limit, at national-level. As per his vision, Chhattisgarh Government has prepared the action plan.”
Chief Minister informed, “farmers of State are being provided interest-free short-term agricultural loan. State Government has set the target of distributing interest-free loans worth nearly Rs3200 crore to farmers of state in this kharif season. Cash and agricultural inputs have been made available for the convenience of farmers,’’.
Singh also appealed people to actively participate in the third International Yoga Day programmes to be held across the nation on June 21.
Farmers advised to go for soil samples
Singh said in his radio programme that district-wise and region-wise action plans have been chalked out to promote special crops as per the climatic conditions. He gave example that farming of jawaphool, vishnubhog and lakshmibhog rice, tao, ramtil and kodo in Sarguja division, small paddy crops such as Badshah bhog, red rice, ramtil and kulthi, doobraj, vishnubhog, tulsimanjri, lal jhunga and kulthi in plain areas area being encouraged so that the farmers may get good prices of these crops in market.
He revealed that Soil Health Management Scheme has been rolled out in the state and in the first phase, more than 40 lakh soil health cards have been issued to farmers after examination of soil samples from their fields. He advised farmers to get examination of soil in their farms done in every two years and use fertilizers and micronutrients as per the recommendations given in soil health card.
16l families benefitted under Prime Minister Crop Insurance Scheme
Chief Minister also informed farmers in his 22nd episode of radio talk that as per the instructions of Central Government, aadhaar card has been made mandatory for availing soil health management scheme. So the farmers, who have not got their aadhaar card issued, should get it done soon. He told farmers that last year more than 16 lakh farmers were benefitted under Prime Minister Crop Insurance Scheme for kharif and rabi crops. Total premium amount of Rs340 crores were paid to the beneficiary farmers by State Government this includes 50-50 per cent contribution of State and Centre and tthis year also arrangements have been made to benefit the farmers under crop insurance scheme.
He stated that the scheme is a boon for farmers providing security cover to their crops against the damage caused due to fire, flood or other factors. Under this scheme, nominal premium of 2 per cent is taken and insurance of entire crop is done. In Chhattisgarh, irrigated and unirrigated paddy, corn, soyabean, peanut, lentils, moong, urad and horticulture crops have also been included under the cover of this insurance scheme. Chief Minister told farmers who have taken the loan get the benefit of insurance from the concerned bank itself, but the ones who have not taken loan, they have to apply for the scheme carefully that too on time.
Kharif crop farming on 48 lakh hectare this year
Singh told- kharif season marks the maximum cultivation in state. Good monsoon results in maximum yield of paddy. This year state government has set the target of sowing kharif crops in 48 lakh hectare area.
Paddy will be sown in 36 lakh 50 hectares of paddy. Pulses will be sown in nearly 4 lakh hectares, oilseeds will be sown in three lakh hectares, sugarcane and vegetables etc will be sown in nearly 1.5 hectare. In this way tital 91 lakh 76 thousand metric tons of crops will be produced, including food grains, oilseeds, lentils and vegetables. He informed in his radio programme that stock of seven lakh 45 thousand quintal seeds has been allotted to cooperative societies this year for the convenience of farmers. In this way, 10 lakh 65 thousand metric tons of fertilisers have also been facilitated so that farmers may get fertilisers and seeds on time.
Monsoon : Calamity Management put in place
Chief Minister said in his radio programme that entire arrangements for combating the natural calamities during monsoon such as floods has been made. State Calamity Management Force has been alerted. 72 boats for relief and rescue works have been allotted to administration in various districts. Calamity Management Force has been appointed in all the Divisional Headquarters, who will coordinate with the district team to deal with such situations. Along with district headquarters of all 27 district headquarters, flood control room at state-level will also remain alert.
Prevention of contagious diseases
Chief Minister also informed that State Government's Health Department has made all the necessary arrangements for prevention of contagious seasonal diseases. He advised people to consume safe drinking water purified by boiling or any other method, to maintain hygienic surroundings and to take care of their health. He said- on feeling any kind of health problem, one should immediately consult with doctors. All the Government hospitals of state have been especially instructed to ensure prevention of contagious diseases. Chief Minister called on people to adopt rainwater harvesting system to save the rainwater.
New liqour Policy led to decline of 27 per cent in road accidents
In today’s episode of ‘Raman Ke Goth’, Chief Minister told listeners about the achievements of state-wide lok Suraaj Abhiyan. Singh said- this campaign will be remembered as the biggest social audit. He told that through lok Suraaj Abhiyan RsRswe came to know about people's expectations from State Government's various departments and also their demands-grievances. Maximum applications were pertaining to Prime Minister Housing Scheme and Prime Minister Ujjwala Scheme. Both the schemes are receiving tremendous response from people. There is positive environment in rural areas regarding the ban on bootlegging. 98 per cent of the villages in state do not have any liquor shop. Our new liquor policy has resulted in decrease in number of road accidents by 27 per cent’’..
lok Suraaj Abhiyan proved to be the school of good governance
Singh said- once again it was proved that lok Suraaj Abhiyan is a school of good Governance. The data bank that has been developed in this campaign will serve as the base of new schemes in future. Chief Minister told listeners that lok Suraaj Abhiyan commenced from 26 February and went on for 84 days and 2016 hours till May 20. Meanwhile total 28 lakh 54 thousand 594 applications were received, including 25 lakh 86 thousand 596 from rural areas and 2 lakh 59 thousand 594 applications from urban areas, whereas 8197 applications were received online. Chief Minister said- redressal of this huge number of applications was also record in itself. 93 per cent of the total applications received i.e. 26 lakh 55 thousand 833 applications have been redressed. During this campaign, I travelled nearly 10 thousand 757 kms for sudden inspections, visits, and redressal camps. I personally attended 21 redressal camps and did sudden inspection of 16 places, whereas in 18 places I took review meetings and did night stay in 17 cities. In this campaign, I met 5400 public representatives of 185 organisations. Singh told in the radio programme that during lok Suraaj Abhiyan a large number of ration cards were issues and all the school children were distributed caste certificate.