Government to launch cow-based natural farming in seven districts of Bundelkhand: Shahi

In Bundelkhand, the government will spend ₹68 crores on promoting, encouraging, and training farmers in natural farming

Agriculture minister Surya Pratap Shahi said the government had forwarded one more scheme to the Centre, seeking the inclusion of 20 more districts under the scheme that seeks to promote natural farming in the districts along the river Ganga. (FOR REPRESENTATION PURPOSES)

Agriculture minister Surya Pratap Shahi on Friday said that the state government had decided to begin cow-based organic farming in all the seven districts under the Bundelkhand region to popularize the concept in the entire state in the time to come.

Addressing a press conference here, the minister said the government would spend ₹68 crore on promoting natural farming, encouraging and training farmers to adopt it in the Bundelkhand region so that they could grow toxin-free food grain and enhance their income besides getting rid of the stray cattle menace.

“As per the ₹68 crore scheme forwarded to the Centre for approval, the cow-based farming will be started in all the 47 development blocks comprising seven districts in Bundelkhand, “ the minister said. “The organic farming will be started on 15,000 hectares of land in 470 clusters of 50 hectares each,” he added.

Shahi said the government had forwarded one more scheme to the Centre, seeking the inclusion of 20 more districts under the scheme that seeks to promote natural farming in the districts along the river Ganga. “Under this scheme, 1714 clusters, comprising 85,710 hectares of land, are proposed to be set up within a 5 km radius on both the sides of the Ganga in 20 new districts,” he said.

He said that agriculture science centres have been directed to develop organic farming models and attract farmers to cow-based organic farming.

Further mentioning his department’s achievements in the first 100 days of the government, the minister said that the target of giving solar pumps to 10,000 farmers had been achieved. “We have identified 10,000 beneficiaries, and we will start giving solar pumps to them as they deposit 40% of their share towards the cost of the pump,” he said.

Talking about the PM-Kisan Nidhi, he said more than ₹45,000 crore had already been transferred to 45 lakh farmers’ bank accounts so far.

He, however, made it clear that from now onwards, only those farmers who have completed their e-KYC would be able to get the benefits under the scheme. He said the money under this scheme was transferred to the bank accounts of 77,000 farmers, who were not alive.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/lucknow-news/government-to-launch-cow-based-natural-farming-in-seven-districts-of-bundelkhand-shahi-101657300346413.html