‘Advanced Farming – Enriched Farmer’ scheme announced in Maharashtra

Maharashtra Government on 16 April 2017 announced Advanced Farming – Enriched Farmer scheme. The scheme aims at increasing the income of farmers by cutting production cost and increase in output.

The scheme announced amidst demands for waiver of farm loan in the state, will be launched in the upcoming Kharif season.

Key facts of the Advanced Farming – Enriched Farmer’ scheme

• Under the scheme, each tehsil of the state will be declared as a unit. These units will be used on planning for agri-development

• Tasks to be undertaken under the scheme includes

a) Raising production of major crops (up to the level of its genetic yield potential)

b) Diversification of crops

c) Introduction of marketing techniques

d) Uniting farmers through farm producers’ companies

e) Making them (farmers) financially stable

• In addition to it, the government will be spending 60 per cent more fund for mechanisation of farming on tractors, transplanters, power tillers, machines for polishing, grading and packing of the produce. The grant will be deposited in farmers’ bank accounts linked to Aadhar.

Apart from this, a campaign named farmer outreach campaign will be launched to inform the farmers about the techniques that can be used for agriculture during the Kharif season. The campaign will run between 25 May and 8 June 2017. The state government has also announced that it would increase grants for construction of green-houses, shade nets and onion shades among others.

Background

The Advanced Farming – Enriched Farmer’ scheme was launched in light of State Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar’s announcement during the state budget 2017-18. The finance minister in his budget speech announced that the government aims at doubling the income of farmers by 2022.

Besides, a resolution of government that was published in the second week of April 2017 said, each tehsil will be given a target for production of crops. The targets will be set with an aim under which the produce is sold at a price where money received by the farmers is more than the loan that was obtained by them. The resolution also said that target for production will be 20 per cent more for farmers who are receiving more money than the loan that was obtained.