1,442 farmers benefited from Krushi Sinchan Yojana
| Date :10-May-2019 |
Staff Reporter:
Total 1,442 farmers have benefited in Maharashtra through the Pradhan Mantri Krushi Sinchan Yojana launched by Central Government during the four-year period. The Central Government sponsored scheme is aimed at improving farm productivity by deepening the irrigation facilities among marginalised and small land holding farmers. During the four-year period staring 2015-16, Maharashtra Government had received funds to tune of Rs 4,444 crore under the scheme and 73 per cent of the amount was distributed among the beneficiaries. A significant aspect is that during two consecutive years, in 2016-17 and 2017-18, the funds provided to State by Centre were maximum and utilisation was also almost cent per cent, reveals the RTI information. Underneath the scheme, subsidy was provided to marginalised farmers for installation of drip and sprinkler facilities at their farms.
This was given to boost farm productivity and increase their incomes. Apart from that another beneficiary for whom the scheme was meant was farm land that fell in the rain shadow area. For marginalised and small land holding farmers in shadow area as per the scheme 60 per cent of amount was given as subsidy having 30 per cent contribution by Centre as well as State Government and for general farmers it was 45 per cent subsidy of total budget. For farmers outside shadow area 45 per cent subsidy was providing for small and marginalised land holders and for general farmers 35 per cent was given. From the year 2017-18 the norms were revised and now Government is paying 55 per cent subsidy for marginalised farmers and 45 per cent to general farmers.
The information reveals that the utilisation of funds was at lowest in year 2015-16 when Central Government provided Rs. 264.64 crores and almost full utilsed the money Rs. 264.31 crores. In second and third year of scheme the Central grants increased manifold it was Rs. 1783.21 crore and Rs. 1445.14 crore respectively while State spent Rs. 1740.73 in 2016-17 and Rs. 1571.43 crores in year 2017-18. During 2018-19 the grant again dipped to Rs. 951.49 crores and State have so far disbursed just Rs. 52.60 crores. On utilisation front, in year 2015-16 about 315 farmers benefited by the scheme wherein they opted for drip irrigation covering 334.9 Ha while 700 other farmers went for installation of sprinklers covering 560.85 Ha. During the next two years about 5251.79 Ha and 5896.41 Ha were brought under sprinkle and 3796.12 and 3515.46 Ha under drip. Further, as per the Agriculture Department about 60,039 applications were received in 4 years for subsidy of which 21,196 were accepted after scrutiny money was released to 21,109 beneficiaries so far.