Ranchi: Jharkhand Agriculture Minister Randhir Singh said that empowerment of the farmers is a priority for the state government and for them the Mukhyamantri Krishi Ashirwad Yojana has been started which will commence from August 10 in the state.
Addressing a Press Conference at the Suchna Bhawan here is said that under this scheme in the first phase 15 lakh farmers will be covered who would be provided the first installment of the money and the scheme would be a milestone in the development of the state and the farmers, he said adding that under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana so far 8 lakh farmers have received first installment of Rs 2000.
He said that the state government had sent 71 farmers to Israel to learn the techniques how more production can be achieved in less rainfall and after coming back these farmers as master trainers are training other farmers and drip irrigation.
The Minister said that the agriculture department has distributed soil health cards among 7000000 farmers and in all the panchayat 3164 Mini soil labs have been set up apart from that to purchase mobile phones the farmers are being provided Rs 2,000 through dbt and in the entire state 260 agriculture single window system are functioning.
He said that under the Crop Insurance Scheme among 38.5 lakh farmers crop on 16 lakh hectares of land has been insured and among 5.24 lakh farmers Rs 284 crore has been distributed as insurance and it is the state government which pays the premium for the insurance on behalf of the farmers he said.
The Minister said that in 13 tribal-dominated district organic farming is being encouraged and to undertake the organic farming every farmer on per acre of land is being provided Rs 9800 per year.
He said that during the financial year 2018-19 five 9.50 lakh litre milk was produced every day in the state and said that among 50000 women beneficiaries healing from BPL families milk giving animals have been distributed and it modern Dairy plant having capacity of 1 lakh litre along with one mineral mixture plant and Bypass protein plant has been set up on the other hand in Palamu Deoghar and Sahibganj Dairy plants having capacity of 50,000 litres has been opened. He said that in the previous physical from all sources 2.08 lakh metric tonnes of fish has been produced and 4527 cage farming has been set at various water bodies of the state as fisheries has been accorded status of Agriculture in Jharkhand.
He said that the state government has decided to set up cold storage having a capacity of 5000 metric and in all the blocks cold rooms are being set up to ensure your better distribution of the agriculture produce.
Those present on the occasion also included Agriculture Secretary Pooja Singhal Director Agriculture Chavi Ranjan and IPRD Director Ram Lakhan Prasad Gupta.