NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday took a raft of decisions to incentivise states to promote sustainable agriculture, including organic farming and alternative fertilisers while extending the urea subsidy scheme for three years.
Called PM PRANAM (PM Programme for Restoration, Awareness Generation, Nourishment, and Amelioration of Mother-Earth), the schemes include promoting natural and organic farming, alternative fertilisers, nano fertilisers and bio fertilisers to restore soil fertility. The proposals approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs have a total outlay of Rs 3.7 lakh crore, most of which is for urea subsidy.
“It is crucial to return to more natural farming methods and promote a balanced and sustainable use of chemical fertilisers,” Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya said. PM PRAMAN was among the policy announcements made in the general budget in February.
Suppose a state uses 10 lakh tonnes of conventional fertiliser. If it reduces its consumption by 3 lakh tonnes, then the subsidy saving would be Rs 3,000 crore. Out of that subsidy savings, the Centre will give 50% of it Rs 1,500 crore — to the state for promoting the use of alternative fertilisers and other development works, Mandaviya said. The CCEA also decided to introduce sulphur-coated urea for the first time to address sulphur deficiency in the soil.