Gujarat raises farm fencing subsidy to Rs 300 per metre, eases eligibility for small farmers
Gandhinagar, May 27
The Gujarat government has increased financial assistance under its farm wire fencing scheme and reduced the minimum land requirement for eligibility, in a move aimed at helping more farmers protect crops from stray cattle and wild animals before the monsoon season.
The decisions were taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Wednesday.
State Agriculture Minister and government spokesperson Jitu Vaghani said assistance under the barbed wire fencing scheme has been increased from Rs 200 per running metre to Rs 300 per running metre.
Farmers will now receive assistance of Rs 300 per running metre or 50 per cent of the actual expenditure incurred, whichever is lower.
Giving reasons for the revision, Vaghani said, "At present, due to the increase in market prices of materials and labour costs, the average expenditure has increased. Therefore, to reduce the financial burden on farmers, the government has decided to increase the assistance."
The government has also relaxed eligibility norms under the scheme. Earlier, farmers of all categories were required to form a cluster of at least two hectares to avail assistance. The minimum cluster requirement has now been reduced to one hectare.
Vaghani said smaller farmers were often deprived of benefits because the required two-hectare cluster could not be maintained if any farmer in the group disagreed.
"Keeping the interests of such farmers in mind, this limit has now been reduced to just one hectare," he said.
According to the minister, around 1 lakh applications have so far been received through the i-Khedut Portal under the scheme.
He said all applications would be approved in phases before the monsoon, in accordance with rules, so that farmers can complete fencing work before becoming fully occupied with agricultural activities.
"For this purpose, the state government has allocated Rs 240 crore," Vaghani said, adding that additional funds would also be arranged if required.
The minister further said that earlier, the application portal for the scheme was opened only once a year.
However, to ensure that the maximum number of farmers benefit this year, the portal would be reopened if necessary.
"If needed, arrangements for additional funds over and above Rs 240 crore will also be made, farmers' applications will be accepted, and economic protection will be provided to farmers across the state," he said.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good decision by Gujarat government, but will the subsidy amount actually keep pace with rising material costs? Labour is getting expensive too. Also, I hope these benefits reach the real small farmers and not just those with connections. Still, any help for our kisaan brothers is appreciated. 😊
Finally, some practical thinking! Earlier the 2-hectare cluster rule was unrealistic - one rebellious neighbor could block the whole scheme. Now smaller farmers can actually benefit. ₹240 crore is a substantial allocation. Let's hope the i-Khedut portal works smoothly this time, no technical glitches please! 🚜
Interesting policy shift. Reducing the cluster requirement from 2 hectares to 1 hectare shows understanding of ground realities. The monsoon deadline is smart too - protecting crops before the rain is crucial. ₹240 crore seems like good value. But will the approval process be fast enough for 1 lakh applications? Time will tell.
भाई लोग, this is exactly what we needed! Wild boars and nilgai destroy our crops every year. Earlier fencing was too expensive for small farmers. Now with Rs 300 per metre subsidy, it's becoming affordable. The government should also implement similar schemes in other states. Kisan ki raksha, desh ki raksha! 🌾🐄
While this is a positive step, I worry about implementation. Will there be transparency in application approval? Also, what about farmers who farm on leased land? They need protection too. The government should consider including them in the scheme's ambit. Still, it's good to see targeted relief for small and marginal
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