We are encouraging farmers for crop diversification & eco-friendly farming techniques: Haryana CM Manohar Lal

Chandigarh, May 18: Despite attaining a huge feat in industrial development, Haryana is primarily an agricultural state. Majority of the population is engaged in agriculture in the state. And by understanding this fact, the state government leaves no stone unturned to provide best of the facilities and incentives to the farmers, so that the comprehensive development in the state can be ensured.

There are copious initiatives that have been taken by the Government of Haryana under the direction of Chief Minister, Shri Manohar Lal to ensure that farmers get maximum benefits through many first-of-their-kind initiatives introduced in the agriculture sector.

Among these initiatives, the Government of Haryana is giving a big boost to conserve water in the state by launching an effective technique for paddy growers. Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) is another first-of-its-kind incentive-driven push which has been introduced as a pilot project by the state government, recently to promote water conservation. A cash incentive of INR 4,000 per acre is offered to the farmers under the scheme. Farmers of 12 paddy growing districts of Haryana under the watch of agriculture and farmers' welfare department's experts will grow paddy through this technique during the current paddy cultivation season. Growing rice by sowing the seed is already prevalent in few rice-producing pockets of Haryana. The state government is promoting this alternative way of cultivating rice to ensure that the water conservation movement gets a boost in the state and farmers also get benefit through this.

Cost-effective & less water consuming method

The Government of Haryana has decided that farmers opting for this cost-effective and less water-consuming method of growing rice will receive INR 4,000 per acre. Each farmer opting for this scheme can grow the crop using DSR technique and there is no limitation of acreage (area) for them to register for incentive. The traditional paddy transplantation practice is labour and water intensive, while DSR doesn't require labour and water of the size and scale of the traditional method and can reduce water consumption and production cost by 15-20 per cent.

Chief Minister, Shri Manohar Lal on this scheme, said, "It's another new and unique initiative in the state to give incentive and support to thousands of farmers who earn their bread and butter through paddy cultivation. This will not only provide them a cost effective method but also fetch them the desired exposure and education about the new techniques to strengthen their practices."

He further stated, "DSR technique with financial help is another big decision of the Government of Haryana to inspire farmers to opt for crop diversification, reduce area under paddy cultivation and go for eco-friendly farming techniques."

Area-wise distribution

This incentive-based scheme will be implemented in 12 districts including Ambala, Yamunagar, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Panipat, Jind, Sonipat, Fatehabad, Sirsa, Rohtak and Hisar. DSR-cultivated paddy plots will spread across 6,000 acre each in Yamunanagr, Panipat and Sonipat; 7,000 acre in Ambala, 8,000 acre each in Sirsa, Hisar, Rohtak; 9,000 in Fatehabad; 10, 000 acre each in Karnal and Kurukshtra; and 11,000 acre each in Kaithal and Jind. According to the experts, basmati rice can be grown as DSR under non-puddle conditions and it can be done in almost all types of soils suitable for rice growing.

How to get the benefit of this ambitious scheme?

To get the maximum benefit of this scheme, farmers have to first register themselves on 'Meri Fasal Mera Byora' (MFMB) portal by June 30, 2022. After that the physical verification will be done by a committee comprising ADO/HDO, patwari, numberdar & the concerned farmer upto July 25, 2022 and will be uploaded on MFMB, immediately. The benefits of the DSR scheme will be provided through DBT to DSR verified farmers.

Making farmers prosperous

The Government of Haryana under its motto of inclusive development, ensures that farmers become prosperous through crop diversification and eco-friendly techniques by providing them incentives and financial help to adopt new and exceptional techniques.

For this, the state government has introduced two schemes including 'Mera Pani, Meri Virasat' and 'Kheti Khaali, Fir Bhi Khushali' schemes. Under the 'Mera Pani, Meri Virasat' scheme, farmers switching over to alternate crops in place of paddy are being given INR 7,000 per acre incentive. Apart from this, 'Kheti Khaali, Fir Bhi Khushali', schemes fetch INR 7,000 per acre incentive to farmers, if they do not grow any crop in their field during the paddy season.