Haryana Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister, Mr. O P Dhankar said that farmers of Haryana will get a benefit of about Rs 6,000 to Rs 18,000 per acre after Central Government approved a steep rise in the minimum support price of crops, giving farmers the promised 50 per cent return on input costs. Apart from this, compensation amounting to Rs 3,257 crore has so far been given to farmers during the tenure of present State Government to make farming a risk-free venture.
Mr. Dhankar gave this information while addressing a press conference here today.
He said that increase in Minimum Support Price (MSP) of crops as approved by the Central Government would benefit the paddy farmers of Haryana with Rs 6,000 per acre, cotton farmers with Rs 18,000 per acre and bajra farmers with Rs 7800 per acre. He said due to the increase in MSP, Haryana would get Rs 1500 crore which includes Rs 1200 crore for paddy and Rs 300 crore for other crops.
The Minister said that the farming in Haryana is the most risk-free farming in the country. Elaborating, he said that the State Government has given compensation of about Rs 491 crore to farmers under Fasal Bima Yojana. Compensation amounting to Rs 6,000 to Rs 12,000 per acre has been given to farmers through Revenue and Disaster Management Department. During 2015, Rs 1092 crore were given for wheat crops and Rs 276 crore for cotton crops. Apart from this, the compensation amounting to Rs 268 crore pending from the tenure of the previous government was also given to farmers by the present State Government.
He said that the present Central Government has been increasing the MSP of crops from time to time as a result of which the average income of farmers has reached up to Rs 11,000 per acre. The farmers of Haryana have got enhanced income of Rs 7,335 crore, he added.
He said that the there were some challenges facing the farming sector which has to be turned into opportunities. Water availability was the biggest challenge. Under Atal BhuJal Yojana, Rs 712 crore has been allotted to Haryana for a period of five years for this purpose. As many as 36 blocks of Haryana are highly water exploited and to promote micro irrigation in these areas, the State Government has been giving a grant up to 85 per cent. He said that 1.30 lakh hectare area in the state falls under micro irrigation. Apart from this, pipelines have been laid on one lakh hectare area for irrigation thereby increasing the irrigated area. A sum of Rs 75 crore has been given for such areas, he added.
Mr. Dhankar said that 54 mandis in the state have been linked with e-NAM. The crops not procured by government are being purchased through e-NAM. Apart from this, new mandis are also being developed. The largest mandi of the country being set up over 600 acres in Gannaur, would be constructed through special purpose vehicle for which approval has been given by the Cabinet. He said that Haryana’s first flower mandi would be set up with the assistance of Netherlands over 8.62 acres in Sector 52, Gurugram.
He said that apple mandi has been set up at Sector 20, Panchkula and in order to further expand it, there is a provision to set up new and modern apple mandi over 75 acres land of HMT. Special emphasis has been laid on direct marketing for which 40 Kisan Markets have been developed. He said that maximum subsidy of Rs 6600 crore was being given on power every year. Similarly, subsidy amounting to Rs 3500 crore was being given on fertilizers and that of about Rs 800 crore on seeds and equipment.
The Minister said that the Agriculture University of the state ranks at number two in the country. Apart from this, Haryana is at fourth place in agriculture institute. He said that three Agri Leadership Summits have so far been organised in which about six lakh farmers had participated.
He said that soil labs are being established in each mandi. Apart from this, groups of 4-5 villages are also opening soil labs in the form of clusters. A sum of Rs 65 crore was spent on prevention of crop residue burning. As many as 6338 farmers were given agricultural equipment for disposal of crop residue. This year, equipment for this purpose would be given to 5563 farmers and 900 groups for which a budget of Rs 150 crore has been earmarked.
He said that 2863 hectare saline and waterlogged land of 14,282 farmers have been reclaimed with a sum of Rs 21 crore. This year, a target has been set to reclaim 2,186 hectare land of over 2,100 farmers.
Others present on this occasion included Media Advisor to Chief Minister, Mr. Rajiv Jain, Principal Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department, Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi, Chief Administrator, Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board, Mr. Mandeep Singh Brar and Director, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department, Mr. D.K. Behera.
No.IPRDH/2018
