New Delhi/Raipur, May 21 (IANS): For the second consecutive year on Friday, Chhattisgarh transferred Rs 1500 crore to 22 lakh farmers of the state as the first instalment of the agricultural input subsidy under the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana for kharif season 2020-2021.
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel also transferred Rs 7 crore 17 lakh directly to the accounts of villagers and cattle rearers as payment for the dung procured from March 15 to May 15, under the multi-pronged Godhan Nyay Yojana of the Chhattisgarh government. Besides, he also transferred Rs 3.6 crore to the gauthan samitis and women self-help groups. Under the Godhan Nyaya Yojana, which was launched on July 20, 2020 on the occasion of Hareli Parva, a total of 88 crore 15 lakh rupees have been paid so far to the state's cattlemen and villagers.
Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi and MP Rahul Gandhi sent congratulatory messages on the occasion on the death anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
Sonia Gandhi said that the amount received by the farmers in the second wave of corona will act as a "booster". Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi said that the Government of Chhattisgarh has been successful in realizing the vision of Rajiv Gandhi. The way the vision of justice has been embodied in the agriculture sector through the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyaya Yojana, it has strengthened the rural economy.
The Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana was launched by the Chhattisgarh government on Rajiv Gandhi's death anniversary on May 21, 2020 with the aim to encourage crop productivity in the state. Under this scheme, the state government transferred Rs 5628 crores to the bank accounts of about 19 lakh farmers (registered in Kharif season 2019-20) in four instalments as agricultural input subsidy.
The chief minister also took several important decisions in the interest of farmers at a meeting held on May 19. As per the decision, the input subsidy on the paddy procured from farmers in Kharif year 2020-21 will be given at the rate of Rs 9,000 per acre.
The government has also decided to provide input subsidy of Rs 10,000 per acre instead of Rs 9000 per acre to the farmers, who have sold paddy at the support price in the year 2020-21, if they are cultivating kodo kutki, sugarcane, pigeonpea, maize, soybean, pulses, oilseeds, aromatic paddy, fortified paddy crop or plant trees. Farmers utilizing their paddy fields for plantation will be provided this grant for 3 years.
The state government has also decided to provide input subsidy at the rate of Rs 9000 per acre per year to the producers of all major kharif crops such as maize, soybean, sugarcane, kodo kutki and arhar, along with paddy, from Kharif year 2021-22. The government has fixed the minimum support price of kodo-kutki at Rs 3,000 per quintal.