Chandigarh, Nov 24 (IANS): Haryana Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal on Thursday said the state is making all-out efforts to promote natural farming by encouraging farmers towards it.
Holding a review meeting on natural farming here, the Chief Secretary said from time-to-time, information is being received about the positive results of natural farming; but so far scientific research papers are not available anywhere on its farming.
"Haryana will have to take steps in this direction and prepare a scientific research paper on natural farming, in which detailed information about the complete process, time period and results of this method will be available. This work should be implemented soon after taking it up with the vice-chancellor and research director of Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University," said Kaushal.
The Chief Secretary said natural farming is slowly becoming the need of the hour and with less agricultural input and less cost; the farmers can increase organic production and can also increase their income with this method.
He said the objective of natural farming is to promote chemical-free agriculture, climate-friendly farming and to establish this method as a sustainable livelihood by reducing environmental and climate pollution.
"For this, the farmers are also being made aware and trained by the government. At present, training is being imparted at two centres - Gurukul in Kurukshetra and Gharaunda in Karnal. Apart from this, three more training centres will soon be set up at Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University in Hisar, Hameti in Jind and Mangiana in Sirsa," he added.
To promote natural farming, a subsidy of Rs 25,000 is being given on the purchase of an indigenous cow and an assistance of Rs 3,000 is being provided to the farmers for the purchase of four drums to prepare Jeevamrut solution.
Haryana is the first state in the country to launch such initiatives and not only this, a plan has also been prepared to ensure that natural farming products are packed directly from the farmer's fields; to prevent any doubt of genuineness of the product for the customers.