CHANDIGARH: The Haryana Government today launched country’s first ‘Bhavantar Bharpai’ a scheme which would come into effect on January through which the state government would compensate farmers for price deficit for agricultural produce in which tomato, onion, potato and cauliflower have been included.
Speaking after launching the scheme at Ganger village in Karnal today, the Chief Minister, Manohar Lal Khattar said compensation at the rate of Rs 400 per quintal would be given for tomato and potato whereas Rs 500 per quintal would be given for onion and cauliflower.
He said his government launched the scheme to end the risk factor in the cultivation of vegetable crops”, also asking farmers to utilise the state government’s scheme for micro-irrigation.
The state government would make good the difference if and when the prices in the market go below the mentioned prices, he said and registered a tomato growing farmer under the Bhavantar Bharpayee e-Portal and Crop Cluster Development Programme, he said.
He said as compared to the traditional crops, micro-irrigation would be adopted for tomato, onion, potato and cauliflower crops to save water. There are many areas in the state where people are deprived of potable drinking water and tankers are used to supply drinking water. Micro-irrigation can work with about 30 per cent water and helps in saving about 70 per cent.
The state has a big market like Delhi where farmers could sell their produce. The state government has been establishing small mandis in each district to enable the farmers to sell their produce. Similarly, Asia’s biggest mandi of fruits and vegetables is being set up in Ganaur. The government is also considering a proposal to provide the facility of cold storage for farmers’ produce, he said.
The scheme, which mirrors a similar project that the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh has launched to ensure farmers were compensated for their agricultural produce, comes at a time when there is deep dissatisfaction among farmers over the uncertain price of their crops.
The scheme will apply only to farmers growing vegetables.
Khattar announced a vegetables and fruits mandi in a 600-land—the biggest such market in Asia— in Gannaur in Sonepat.