Nine projects for farmers, rural Gujarat in state budget

“In the next three years, all the farmers in rural Gujarat will be provided power for agriculture during day time. For this, new sub-stations and transmission networks will be laid at a cost of Rs 3,500 crore. For the first year, I am making a provision of Rs 500 crore,” Patel said. “Dinkar means Sun during day time,” he told the House.

The government also announced a new scheme to help farmers to shift to “cow-based natural farming”. Patel said, “Under this scheme, a farmer shifting to cow-based natural farming will be provided a subvention of Rs 900 per month, ie., Rs 10,800 per year. The farmer will require to use cow dung-based manure and Jivamrut for natural farming. This will help increase the fertility of the soil in the long run and the benefit of serving the cow will also be achieved,” the minister remarked.

Patel also announced the Mukhyamantri Pashudan Sahay Yojana where 150 kilogram of cattle feed will be provided at 50 per cent concessional rate for one month to the farmers when their cow or buffalo gives birth to a calf. Another new scheme carrying a budgetary provision of Rs 100 crore was announced to make Panjara Pols that look after cows self-sustaining. Under this scheme, benefit of infrastructure facilities will be provided for cow sheds, godown for fodder storage, tube-well facility for water, etc.

The minister also unveiled the Mukhyamantri Pak Sangrah Yojana for preventing crop loss owing to unseasonsal rain, cyclone, excessive rain, insect menace and other factors. “Under this scheme, farmers will be provided subvention of Rs 3,000 per until for construction of farmer storage structure in the farm. The construction of such on farm storage structure will be exempt from NA (Nonagricultural) permission,” said the minister who made a provision of Rs 300 crore. This new scheme comes after farmers in Gujarat booked huge losses last year during to unseasonal rain, cyclones and locust attacks.

The government made a Rs 200-crore provision in the budget for the same. A “Kisan Parivahan Yojana” on the lines of Centre’s “Kisan Rail and Udan Yojana” was also announced in the budget where farmers will be provided subvention of Rs 50,000 to Rs 75,000 for procuring light load bearing vehicle.

A Mukhyamantri Gramya Svanirbhar Yojana was also announced that targets to generate sustained employment for women in rural areas. Similarly, another new scheme was also unveiled which provides subvention to small traditional fishermen for procurement of engines for their fishing boats.

The government has also made a provision of Rs 1,489 crore to give approximately one lakh new agricultural power connections. The budget also makes a provision of Rs 7,385 crore for providing subsidies power “to reduce the cost of farming”.