In a major boost to farmers and their farm income the State Government has decided to provide mobile phones to all 28 lakh present in Jharkhand. The gadget would help the farmers availing latest information about prices of commodities and trade online for better outcome through e-NAM or electronic National Agriculture Market platform.
Making an announcement in this regard on Saturday Chief Minister Raghubar Das said that a proposal for this would be inducted into the next annual budget of the State to be presented in January 2019.
“I want to inform the farmers of the State that all of you would be getting mobile phones so that you can stay connected with e-NAM platform and get latest information about prices of our agricultural items. This is also a step towards making the country and State digital,” said the CM in his address to farmers and organisers of the Food and Agriculture Summit, slated to take place on November 29-30 in Ranchi. Farmers returned after their Israel trips were also present on the occasion.
e-NAM is an online trading platform for agricultural commodities that facilitates farmers, traders and buyers with online trading in commodities. Often the producers of the State are seen in disadvantageous position due to lower than market price of the commodities they produce while the middlemen running away with fat share.
The CM also announced that in the 2019-20 Budget the Government would be introducing trust model for farm insurance like ‘Ayushman Bharat’. “It has been observed that farmers tend to rally behind insurance companies to get their dues under the crop insurance scheme. We will be bringing in trust model to get rid of the insurance companies,” said Raghubar Das in the presence of Chief Secretary Sudhir Tripathi and Development Commissioner DK Tiwari.
He, in the wake of drought like situation affecting paddy growers of as many as 18 districts, directed officials to organise camps. Special camps at all districts would be organised on November 18 dedicated to settlements of farm loan related claims and dues of any kind. The CM on the occasion directed Agriculture Secretary Pooja Singhal to distribute remaining 23 lakh Soil Health Cards without much delay since just three lakh have been issued so far to the farmers.
Coming to the Summit, where 20 representatives from China and couple of other countries apart from delegations from States such as Karnataka, Bihar, Maharashtra, Uttarak-hand. Assam and the Union Government will be taking part, the CM termed it a great opportunity before the farmers.
“Take maximum advantage of Summit and play brand ambassador of the event. This is going to be a platform to exchange techniques and ideas about value addition, food processing, marketing etc. The farmers of the State need to switch to ‘less input-more output’ mode. Also stresses should be given to organic farming for which the Government would be making desired arrangement for marketing and export,” said the CM. Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh and Food Processing Minister Harshimrat Kaur Badal would be taking part in the event.
He also talked about the need for have separate feeders for agriculture, industry and domestic consumptions. Principal Secretary to the CM Sunil Kumar Barnwal, Industry Secretary K Ravi Kumar and representatives of food processing industry and event partner FICCI were present on the occasion.