The State Government is all set to provide breathing space to farmers of the State needed in the form of farm loan ease besides, upgrading irrigation facilities for them through first ever agriculture budget. The Planning and Finance Department is almost ready with the blueprint that would be presented before the Assembly in the upcoming Budget Session.
Sources in the Planning and Finance Department informed The Pioneer that stress is on easing out the farmers in a difficult time. “We are witnessing a difficult phase for farmers of the State due to the worst ever drought. It has affected almost the entire State. The agriculture budget would focus on loan issue besides, making provisions for irrigation facilities for future,” said an official.
It is also learnt that the State Government is banking on the Centre that had sent a high-level team for drought survey and expecting to get `3,282 crore in the form of relief from Delhi. “The money would be used for short term and long term measures for the farmers. Besides, allocations would also be made for strengthening agriculture marketing boards, promotion of agriculture friendly industries and storage facilities at local levels,” he added.
Chief Minister Raghubar Das had made announcement during one of his pre-budget consultations that the State after, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, would be presenting a separate budget for agriculture from this
fiscal. The idea behind the decision seems to be driven by the fact that despite shouldering burden of over 70 per cent population, contribution of the sector in Jharkhand’s GSDP is just around 15 per cent and with 7-8 per annual growth rate.
Notably, the Chief Minister held a consultation on the issue with the senior officials on Wednesday.
Principal Secretary of Planning cum Finance Department Amit Khare also admitted to it.
"We felt the necessity of a separate plan for agriculture and allied sector in the State and the department is working on it. Consultations with all the stakeholders are on. At this moment I can only say you that a dedicated agriculture budget is coming this time," said Khare.
Giving few more insights about the exercise, officials of the department quipped that small irrigation schemes would come to the fore largely.
"We have got instructions from high ups that the next monsoon should be utilised in a big way. We can see sufficient funding for building small ponds and check dams to make sure that monsoon rains do not go waste. Supply of hybrid seeds, separate transmission lines for irrigation and building up a reliable supply chain for agriculture based industries would also be looked into," said a senior official.