Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 17: Apart from the immediate cash relief under Pradhan Mantri Kissan Samman Yojana which has reached the farmers through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), the slew of measures announced by Union Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman under Aatam Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan announced by the PM the farming community of J&K is going to benefit immensely stated Brig. (retd) veteran Anil Gupta, spokesperson of Bharatiya Janata Party. The measures affect all traditional farmers, horticulturalists, herbal farmers and those associated with animal husbandry.
Under the first tranche small and marginal farmers in order to meet their post Rabi and current Kharif requirements in May/June will be able to avail additional credit facility from Emergency Rural Working Capital Fund through Regional Rural Banks and Rural Coop Banks. Kisan Card beneficiaries can avail additional credit at concessional rates. Farmers involved in Animal Husbandry can also avail this facility.
Explaining the second tranche benefits Brig Gupta said that these reforms focus at improvement of Horticulture, Dairy, Bee Keeping, poultry and dairy farming with technological intervention. Due to lack of cold chain and infrastructure at both ends (production and marketing) lot of the crop gets wasted and the farmers have to suffer losses. To mitigate this modern world class facilities’ of storage, grading, packing, transportation etc will be provided to farmers without intervention of middlemen. It would also encourage the farmers in Kandi area to grow Mangoes, Guavas while in hilly areas cultivation of Apple, Apricot and walnut will be promoted.
Formalisation of micro food enterprises presently being run in rural areas by Self Help Groups will enable them to compete nationally and globally to promote their health and wellness products. Kesar growers will be main beneficiaries. In order to mitigate the problems of farmers growing perishable vegetable and fruits the Operation Green scheme has been widened to include them for next three months. Such farmers will get 50% each subsidy on transportation and storage. This will benefit the consumers as well informed Brig Gupta.
Additional boost will be given to herbal farming, their branding and marketing. Additional areas in both Kandi and hilly areas will be brought under herbal cultivation. 100% vaccination of cattle, buffalo, sheep and goat population will not only make them disease free but will also boost their productions. Modern state of the art milk and dairy processing plants with allied facilities will be set up in private sector which will benefit the milk producers to boost their income through direct sale to the plants.
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