E-Paper
Funds earmarked for natural farming, millets revival prog in UP
The government has begun work on natural farming in 49 UP districts, including 26 along the banks of Ganga and all districts in Bundelkhand. Natural farming is proposed on 85,710 hectares of land spreading over 1714 clusters
LUCKNOW Showing its commitment to promoting cow-based organic agriculture in the state, the UP government proposed earmarking ₹113.52 lakh under the National Mission on Natural Farming for 2023-24. It also made a provision of ₹984.54 crore for National Agriculture Development Scheme, ₹753.70 crore for National Crop Insurance Scheme, ₹55.6 crore for the implementation of UP millets revival programme.
The government has begun work on natural farming in 49 UP districts, including 26 along the banks of Ganga and all districts in Bundelkhand. Natural farming is proposed on 85,710 hectares of land spreading over 1714 clusters.
The Cabinet has already cleared a proposal for setting up Uttar Pradesh Organic Board under the chief minister to take decisions with regard to promotion of cow-based natural farming in the state. A committee under the chief secretary will monitor the implementation of decisions.
Promoting cow-based natural farming is a part of the BJP’s Sankalp Patra (manifesto) for 2022 assembly polls. The move aims to enhance income of farmers, ridding agri products of toxins, apart from addressing the stray cattle problem.
Funds of ₹56.60 crore have been allocated under the Uttar Pradesh Millets Revival Programme to promote cultivation and consumption of coarse grains (largely ‘bajra’) in the state.
Though this budget is meant for 2023-24 only, the programme to promote millets in the state will be run till 2027. Under the programme, state-level workshops will be held, roads shows and festivals will be organised, exposure visits for officials will be also be conducted and research will be encouraged.
Coarse grains are cultivated in 53 of the 75 districts in UP. Their production this year was 19.5 lakh MT, of which around 90% was millets.
On India’s proposal, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2023 as International Year of Millets, with India aiming to make India global hub of millets.
HIGHLIGHTS
₹631.93 cr for National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture scheme
₹984.54 cr for the National Agriculture Development Scheme
₹753.70 cr National Crop Insurance Scheme
₹102.81 cr for Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Kisan Samriddhi Yojana
₹100 cr for Self-reliant Farmer Integrated Scheme
₹2 cr for Agri-Stack scheme for digital database of farmers.
₹50 cr for the establishment of Mahatma Buddha Agricultural and Technological University, Kushinagar.
₹35 cr for infrastructure works in agricultural universities of Kanpur, Ayodhya, Banda and Meerut.
