Gujarat offers 50 pc subsidy on drip-irrigation

Ahmedabad, Jun 20 (UNI) Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today called on the formers for maximum utilisation of drip-irrigation system, taking advantage of 50 per cent subsidy scheme of State-owned Gujarat Green Revolution Company (GGRCL), besides availing bank loans up to 45 per cent of the project cost.

Presiding over a high level meeting of GGRCL, Mr Modi described the scheme as a life-time opportunity for farmers to instal drip-irrigation system with just five per cent of the project cost as margin money.

Mr Modi, who recently returned from Israel, said the farmers of a predominantly semi-arid state like Gujarat need not be told about the advantages of drip-irrigation system.

He stressed on the need for creating a mass awareness about drip-irrigation, which will save electricity and increases the yield too.

The Chief minister called for bringing more areas under cultivation in the state and suggested Self-Help Groups (SHGs) could play a more pro-active role in popularising the system.

The meeting was attended by Water Resources Minister Narottam Patel, Agriculture Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasma, Education Minister Anandiben Patel, Urban Development Minister I K Jadeja, Minister of State for Home Amit Shah and Minister of State for Finance and Energy Saurabh Dalal.

Chief Secretary Sudhir Mankad and GGRCL Managing Director A K Luke also spoke on the occasion.

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