Considered the ‘rice bowl of India’, Chhattisgarh now has set a target of promoting cultivation of vegetables in 4,425 hectares of land under National Horticulture Mission. An amount of Rs175 crore had been earmarked for implementing this new scheme during its annual plan 2015-16 under National Horticulture Mission in Chhattisgarh.
The annual plan was endorsed in a meeting of the 12th Working Committee of the State Horticulture Development Society chaired by Additional Chief Secretary of Agriculture Department Ajay Singh. The plan comprises a target for cultivating vegetables in an area of 4,425 hectares for which a provision of Rs15.16 crore was proposed. A provision of Rs13.50 crore had been made to promote vegetable cultivation in the State.
A target of 2,500 hectares had been set for growing condiment based crops while a target of 2,240 hectares had been set for floriculture. A provision of Rs4.50 crore had also been made for carrying out organic farming and Rs1.52 crore for promotion of bee keeping. This apart, a provision of Rs1.12 crore had been made to develop new water sources.
last year, the Chhattisgarh Government has embarked on an ‘Organic Farming Mission’ on an experimental basis in five districts of the State namely Kanker, Koriya, Raigarh, Raipur and Dantewada, officials said.
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, they stated.
The Government had been providing free seeds and fertilizers to the tribal families holding forest rights certificates.The arrangements for free distribution of seeds and fertilizers have also been made.
Agriculture Service Centres have been established in every development block of the State from where the farmers are provided agricultural equipments on rent. Soon Soil Quality Card Distribution Scheme will also be started to inform thefarmers about quality and type of soil in their farms. Under this scheme, soil quality cards will be distributed to all 37 lakhfarmers of state in coming five years.
The State Government’s ‘Kisaan Samriddhi Yojana’ has also proved to be a boon for farmers. Under this scheme, farmers are provided section-wise grant for tube-well digging. More than 75,000 farmers have been benefited under the scheme. State Government is operating number of other schemes, which have proved extremely beneficial for the farmers.
Besides cultivation, animal husbandry and fishery are the additional source of income for farmers. Hence, state government has included animal husbandry and fishery under its all-round agricultural development policy. With the help of government schemes, large number of farmers has taken up employment-oriented activities to march ahead on the path of progress. To encourage farmers practicing traditional animal husbandry, State Government started the scheme of providing loan upto Rs1 lakh at one per cent interest rate from the previous year.This year, the loan amount has been increased to Rs 2 lakh.
Kamdhenu University has been established for development of animal husbandry. Moreover, several schemes have also been started to promote fishery. Chhattisgarh has become self-dependent in supply of fish seeds. In year 2013-14, fish seeds worth Rs1.22 crore were produced, officials stated.
More than two lakh fishermen have been provided employment opportunities through development of 94 per cent of the total area of 1.63 lakh hectares available in the State for Fisheries. Fishermen Welfare Board has been constituted. First Fishery University has been established in Kawardha Headquarters of Kabeerdham district.
One of the significant decisions in farmers’ interest taken by State government is the zero-interest agricultural loan scheme, which has been implemented in the current financial year.
Under this scheme, the State Government has provided interest-free agricultural loans worth Rs2,438 crore 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 Rs650 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 Rs8,459 crore has been included for agriculture and agro-based sectors.
In 2012, the State Government had launched the ‘Akshay Bhoomi Yojna’ with the commemoration of the anniversary of noted thinker late Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya. The Organic Farming initiative was launched through the Agriculture Department
Under the ‘Akshay Bhumi Yojna’ the farmers are provided necessary elements to support organic farming such as Gobar (Cow Dung), Go Mutra (Cow’s urine), Ghurwa Khad, Nadep Compost, Vermi Compost, Rajyobiyum, PSB Ajectovector, Anjola, Neel Harit Card.
Moreover, at the time of State formation, only 72,000 farmersin Chhattisgarh had electricity connection for their irrigation pumps. But in last one decade, a special campaign for electrification of irrigation pumps was launched.
As a result, the number of electrified irrigation pumps has increased to nearly 3.40 lakh.
Chhattisgarh has attained self reliance in terms of 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 7500 unit per year for their agricultural pumps of 5 horse power. Farmers are also provided subsidy of Rs75,000 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 Centres. Under Forest Right Certification Act 2006, provision of supplying free certified seeds to 3.40 lakh forest right certificate holder farmers has been included, for which budget allotment of Rs20 crore has been made in year 2014-15.
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.
In Dantewada district of Bastar, Bio farming has altered the direction and way of 2,000-year-old traditional agricultural practices of farmers residing in villages such as Bhusaras, Hiranaar and Surnaar of Dantewada district of Bastar region.
With the unique way of farming, without using hybrid seeds, fertilizer, insecticides, and modern and costly farm implements, the farmers of these villages have produced 4-5 times more crops. Because of the agricultural practice here, the Central government has declared Dantewada district a ‘Model for bio farming.’
The district administration, through forest produce committees, has purchased paddy produced through bio farming at a higher price than the support price. The success of this practice which started with 300 farmers has highly attracted other farmers of the district towards bio farming.
Encouraged with the result, the district administration has been considering establishing a company of bio paddy producing farmers, so that the farmers do not depend on the market power and decide the price of their produce on their own.