Chandigarh, July 8 - Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal said that the state government is constantly working to expand the horticulture sector. The government has set an aim of doubling horticultural area to 22 lakh acres by 2030, from the current 7 percent of total cultivated land, and triple the production.
For this, subsidies are offered to farmers under various schemes. In the financial year 2022-23, a subsidy of Rs 166.20 crore was distributed to 25,000 beneficiaries under various horticulture schemes, shared Sh. Manohar Lal while interacting with progressive farmers producing vegetables and fruits through audio conferencing held here today.
During the Samvad, progressive farmers thanked the Chief Minister and stated that Manohar Government is truly concerned for the welfare of farmers. Farmers said that the type of new programmes that the Manohar Lal-led state government has initiated for them, in addition to the reduction in the cost of agriculture, have ensured that the output has maximum access to the market. The government has provided significant aid to farmers by launching innovative schemes such as the Bhavantar Bharpayee Yojana and the Mukhyamantri Bagwani Bima Yojana, said the farmers.
Once again CM takes stringent action against corrupt and negligent officers
Once again highlighting that his government has zero tolerance against corruption, the Chief Minister today suspended a Horticulture Officer for taking a bribe, while in another case, an explanation letter was issued to the horticulture Development Officer (HDO) for being clueless about the scheme run by his department.
During the Samvad, a farmer, Arif had raised a complaint before the Chief Minister that Horticulture Officer Shyam Singh of Ferozepur Jhirka block of Nuh demanded a bribe of Rs.7000 from him for giving the Bhavantar compensation scheme benefit. Taking immediate strict cognizance of this, Sh. Manohar Lal issued immediate suspension orders for the said officer.
While in another such case, the Chief Minister directed the officers concerned to issue an explanatory letter to HDO Sukram Pal posted in Jhajjar for being clueless about the Bhavantar compensation scheme.
We are standing shoulder to shoulder with the farmers while adopting ‘Beej se Bazar Tak’ approach
Sh. Manohar Lal stated that farming and farmers are the focus of the Haryana government's policies.
“We are standing shoulder to shoulder with the farmers while adopting ‘Beej se Bazar Tak’ approach. It is our goal to assist farmers at every stage of the farming process. All facilities should be made available to farmers from the time the crops are sown and sold in the market. The state government is constantly taking steps in this regard,” he added.
He said that Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi has called upon the farmers to move towards organic and natural farming and minimize the use of fertilizers and pesticides.
He said that Haryana is the first state in the country to formulate Mukhyamantri Bagwani Bima Yojana for the benefit of farmers in case of damage to horticulture crops due to natural calamities. He said that in order to promote the cultivation of fruits and vegetables and to encourage bee keeping, the government is giving numerous subsidies and facilities.
The Chief Minister said that under the Crop Cluster Development Programme, 393 horticulture crop clusters have been identified in 1763 villages. One FPO is being formed in each cluster with 300 farmer members. In addition, an integrated PAC house is also being set up in each cluster for supply chain, marketing of horticulture produce and to link farmers directly to the market, shared Sh. Manohar Lal.
Food processing policy formulated to promote horticulture
The Chief Minister further shared that the government has formulated a food processing policy to promote horticulture. The establishment of agro-based industries is being encouraged under this policy. With the establishment of such industries, farmers will get more remunerative prices for their produce, shared Sh. Manohar Lal.
He said that a total of 33 projects with an amount of about Rs 94 crore have been completed and another 44 projects worth Rs 116 crore are being set up, which will be completed by the end of this year.
More than Rs 23 crore was distributed to 9,485 farmers under the Bhavantar Bharpayee Yojana
Sh. Manohar Lal said that to promote horticulture, the state government has implemented Bhavantar Bharpayee Yojana for vegetables and fruits. Due to this, farmers have been freed from risk at the time of fall in the prices of fruits and vegetables in the market. In this, protected prices have been fixed for 21 horticulture crops. Under this scheme, an amount of more than Rs 23 crore has been distributed to 9,485 farmers so far, shared the Chief Minister.
Three new centres of excellence to come up in Haryana in the year 2023-24
The Chief Minister said that there are many similarities between the climate and land of Israel and Haryana. The technology there is most useful to us. That's why we are adopting Israeli technology in the field of fruit, vegetable and flower cultivation and beekeeping in the state, he added.
“14 Centres of Excellence have been set up in the state to promote horticulture using the latest technologies. It is proposed to set up three new Centres of Excellence in the state in the year 2023-24, includes centre of excellence for post-harvest management in Panchkula, Pingawan, Nuh for onion, and Munimpur, Jhajjar for flowers,” shared Sh. Manohar Lal.
The Chief Minister said that 1,000 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) would be formed in the state so as to ensure the easy sale and fair price of horticulture crops. So far 731 FPOs have been formed. 150 integrated PAC houses will be built by these groups, through which farmers will be able to sell their fruits and vegetables. Special mandis are being set up so that farmers do not have to go far to sell their crops. India International Horticulture Market in Gannaur is being established, he added.
Numerous subsidies are given to fruit and vegetable-growing farmers
The Chief Minister said that subsidy ranging from 50 percent to 85 percent of the cost per acre is given for planting mango, guava, plum, sapota, litchi, amla, pear, potato fever, banana, papaya, citrus fruits, grapes, figs and strawberries is being given to the farmers.
Furthermore, subsidies ranging from 50 percent to 85 percent are given on the integrated model of vegetable cultivation. Subsidy ranging from 40 percent to 85 percent is being given for mushroom cultivation. 50 percent subsidy is given to general category farmers and 85 percent subsidy to scheduled category farmers on polyhouse, high-tech greenhouse, box-in-tunnel, anti-insect net house, poly net house, cable perlein net house, shared Sh. Manohar Lal.
He said that a new scheme has been started to promote the cultivation of new species of mushrooms like Milky Mushroom, Oyster, Mushroom (Dhingri) and Shiitake, in which 50 percent subsidy is given to the farmers.
He said that to encourage the use of quality vegetable seedlings, the government is giving 50 per cent subsidy on seedlings of capsicum, cucumber, tomato, melon and brinjal prepared in high-tech greenhouses. Farmers can buy seedlings by booking from the Centre of Excellence for Vegetables, Gharaunda, Hi Tech Green House Gurugram and Rohtak and Center of Excellence for Fruits, Mangiana (Sirsa) and Centre for Integrated Development of Horticulture, Palwal and Sundarah, shared the Chief Minister.
Form beekeeping groups, urges CM
Sh. Manohar Lal said that an Integrated Bee Development Centre has been established with the help of Israel to promote beekeeping in the state. This is the first centre of the country.
“Form beekeeping groups so that these groups could export honey and its products to foreign countries. The different quality honey of Haryana is already in high demand in foreign countries,” shared Sh. Manohar Lal.
A grant of Rs 233 crore given to 52,193 farmers under the underground pipeline scheme
The Chief Minister said that if farmers also contribute to the water conservation campaign, definitely the state government’s aim of water management can be realized.
“Farmers should adopt micro irrigation systems only for irrigation of horticulture crops. Besides this, the state government is also running an underground pipeline scheme for maximum irrigation with less water. Under this scheme, Rs 10,000 per acre, a maximum of Rs. 60,000 per farmer, is being given. Also, an amount of Rs 233 crore has been given as a grant to 52,193 farmers so far, shared Sh. Manohar Lal.
He further shared that under Jal Shakti Abhiyan, the grant limit has been increased from Rs 75,000 to Rs 7 lakh for the construction of individual water storage ponds for irrigation of horticulture crops through the micro irrigation system.
Chief Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Sh. D.S Dhesi, Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department, Sh. Sudhir Rajpal, Director General, Horticulture Department, Dr. Arjun Saini, Media Advisor to Chief Minister, Sh. Amit Arya, and Joint Director (Admn.), Information, Public Relations, Language and Culture Department, Sh. Gaurav Gupta also remained present on this occasion.