MahaYuti Govt provided Rs 44,000 cr to agri sector

 

 

 

 

  

 

MahaYuti Government has distributed Rs 44,000 crore for the agriculture sector to make farming sustainable in the State and so far Rs. 15,040 crore have been disbursed to farmers as compensation for damage to standing crops due to unseasonal rains and natural calamities. Expressing concern over recurring pattern of damage to agricultural sector due to effects of climate change, Chief Minister Ekanth Shinde said State has decided to reconstitute the Task Force for curbing farmers suicides with new focus on sustainable farming. Stating this in Assembly on Monday, Chief Minister said funds are not going to fall short for fulfilling the assurances provided to farmers, at the same time priority is now on making the farmers more self reliant by providing him support and necessary funding to carry out new experiments. The need is to build resilience in the system so that it can absorb the vagaries of nature and also to build confidence among farmers so that they too can take advantage of market situations and fluctuations.

 

Shinde was replying to short discussion held on unseasonal rains that led to widespread damages in many parts of the State during the last two weeks. The Speaker Rahul Narwekar had clubbed the proposal of Opposition as well as Ruling Party under rule 293 of State Legislature. Initiating his nearly 45 minutes long speech, the Chief Minister provided bifurcation of the allocation wherein the higher amount is earmarked to Relief and Rehabilitation Department-Rs. 1489 crores, Rs. 1504 crores to Agriculture Department to undertake various schemes, Rs. 5190 to Co-operative sector, Rs. 5014 to Marketing Department, Rs. 3800 crores to Food and Civil Supplies and Rs. 243 crores to Animal Husbandry Department. The respective department would now focus on individual programmes centering around supporting the farmers, be it cultivators of oranges, they are being provided export subsidy, to protecting interest of onion growers who are being trained in usage of nuclear energy for protecting stored output for longer period. These measures would go long way in aiding the farmers to fight off the climate attack and also ensure they get assured market for their produce.

 

At the same time, reiterating the commitment towards farmers, Chief Minister further said that State Government is going to fulfill the promise of previous Government, Rs 50,000 incentive to farmers who had regularly paid their agricultural debt. So far Rs. 5190 crores have been deposited through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in accounts of 14.31 lakh farmers who regular paid their debt. In addition, 6.56 lakh farmers who were left out of Sanman Yojana would now be covered by the Government. Contrary to criticism, the Government has already ordered panchnama of farms that were hit by hailstorm and unseasonal rains. Also Shinde said that due to firm stance of State, the insurance companies have released 25 per cent of claim amount of Rs 1,217 crore to compensate the farmers. Post introduction of Rs 1 crop insurance scheme, the response form ryots increased by 177 per cent and this indicates the success of Government policies. During the Kharif season about 1.70 crore farmers took out crop insurance and in current Rabi season 66 lakh farmer have already enrolled.

 

As to panchanama of losses, barring five to six districts of Vidarbha, the panchanama in other parts of State has been completed and he also announced that Government have not forgotten the areas that were hit by scarcity due to below average rains. The Central team has completed the survey and State is in touch with Centre and we will soon meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah and seek early sanction of aid package for farmers. Given the pro-active stance of farmers, State has already deposited Rs 2,587 crore in farmers account even as final anewari report is awaited as we are sensitive to ryots loss of standing crops. The Chief Minister boasted that the aid provided to farmers is highest in the State's history. Further, he said that their concern towards ryots does not remain confined to session alone and throughout the year they are with them. Task Force: Chief Minister during the reply said that the Task Force set-up to curb the suicides of farmers is being reconstituted.

 

The terms of the new committee is to equip farmers with ways and means to deal with vagaries of nature. The ryots would be provided counselling and how to make optimum use of technology, carry out best farming practices to deal with changing climate. The need is now to equip the farmers to himself adapt to changing situation and State is going to stand firmly with them during the transition. Revised Nod to Irrigation Projects: The State Government has provided revised administrative sanction to 66 irrigation projects, majority of them in Vidarbha, that has potential to irrigate 10 lakh Ha of agriculture land. After these projects are completed for which State is committed to release Rs. 66,000 crore the irrigation backlog in Amravati will be removed.