In the wake of scanty rainfall this year, the agriculture department is gearing up to provide support to farmers and prepare them for the Rabi season. The department, alongwith banks, organised a Rabi Crop Workshop at Krishi Bhavan in Ranchi today where discussions on agricultural technology, forestry, fishing and economics were held by experts.
The event that was organised by the Directorate of Agriculture aimed to ensure a fair distribution of Rabi crop seeds. The Joint Agriculture Director announced a 25 per cent subsidy on Rabi seeds and directed the district agriculture officer to ensure fast-track of distribution of seeds.
“We are already running late in the distribution of the seeds. Farmers in Jharkhand keep sowing seeds till the end of December. The seeds for Rabi crops are ready to be distributed and will be completed in the next two-three days. We are also giving 25 per cent subsidy on Rabi seeds to the farmers. District Agriculture Officers have been directed to fast-track the distribution process as well,” said Faminath Tripathi, Joint Director, Agriculture.
While chairing the session, Additional Director, Agriculture, CM Puran, said, “There is an urgent need to boost the spirit of farmers after the poor rainfall that has also led to huge losses. We want the farmers to also diversify their farming pattern and also plant oilseeds, pulses and maize if soil is supportive.”
The importance of Kisan Credit Card (KCC) and the health card for the soil were also discussed in detail. “Every farmer needs to first acquire a health card from their respective blocks to ensure if the land they own is suitable for selected crops. Once that is done, they can then apply for the KCC loans. We have also found out after a recent survey that 12,000 hectares of land is conducive for Rabi Crops in the state,” said Ajay Kumar Singh, Director, Sameti.
Moreover, as far as the economy to support farming is concerned and the financial aid that a farmer can receive was also explained to the farmers at the session. Harish Kumar Kakkar, lead District Manager, Bank of India explained the bank loan application procedure to the farmers. “Farmers need to keep all their documents regarding the land updated and ready. The land Possession certificate (lPC) is a must-have and the farmers should ensure to not be a defaulter before he applies for a fresh loan. Any farmer who has incurred a loss of 33 per cent and above are entitled to the rescheduling of their loans,” said Kakkar.