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Gujarat Transfers ₹6.97 Crore to 35,829 Farmers for Natural Farming Push

The Gujarat government has directly transferred ₹6.97 crore to 35,829 farmers across 33 districts as an incentive for adopting natural farming. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel released the assistance via DBT, highlighting it as a mission for health and future generations. The support is part of the National Mission on Natural Farming, with ₹2,000 provided per acre for each season. The state has formed over 1,000 clusters and allocated ₹392 crore in this year's budget to expand the chemical-free farming initiative.

Key Points: Gujarat Incentivizes 35,829 Farmers with ₹6.97 Cr for Natural Farming

  • ₹6.97 cr DBT to 35,829 farmers
  • ₹2,000/acre incentive for Kharif/Rabi
  • 1,015 mission clusters formed
  • ₹392 cr budget allocation for natural farming
2 min read

Gujarat transfers Rs 6.97 crore to 35,829 farmers under Natural Farming Mission

Gujarat govt transfers ₹6.97 crore to 35,829 farmers under Natural Farming Mission to promote chemical-free agriculture. Details on clusters & budget.

"Farmers adopting natural farming had undertaken work that offers the satisfaction of securing the future generations. - Bhupendra Patel"

Gandhinagar, Feb 26

The Gujarat government on Thursday transferred Rs 6.97 crore directly into the bank accounts of 35,829 farmers across 33 districts as an incentive to promote natural farming, marking a continued push to expand chemical-free agriculture in the state.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel released the assistance through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) at a ceremony in Gandhinagar, in the presence of Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani and Minister of State for Agriculture Rameshbhai Katara.

The funds were credited with a single click under the National Mission on Natural Farming.

Under the scheme, farmers adopting natural farming are provided assistance of Rs 2,000 per acre for the Kharif and Rabi seasons.

The latest disbursement covered newly joined farmers for the Kharif season.

Addressing the gathering, Patel said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had urged citizens to adopt the mantra of 'Back to Basic' for a healthy life and to take natural farming forward in mission mode.

He said, "Farmers adopting natural farming had undertaken work that offers the satisfaction of securing the future generations."

He added that natural farming had become "the need of the time" and essential for health, stating that the sooner farmers turn towards such practices, the sooner the benefits would be realised.

The Chief Minister also referred to the efforts of Governor Acharya Devvrat, who has initiated a public movement to encourage cow-based natural farming and visits villages to guide farmers.

Vaghani said the Central government had launched the National Mission on Natural Farming to promote chemical-free cultivation using indigenous cow-based and locally available resources.

"In Gujarat, 1,015 clusters have been formed under the mission, each comprising three gram panchayats, to provide training, guidance and financial support to interested farmers," Vaghani said.

He further stated that 3,875 additional non-mission clusters would be created in remaining gram panchayats, taking the total number of clusters to about 4,890.

To provide practical exposure, 7,100 model farms have been established across the state.

"The state budget has allocated Rs 392 crore this year for various activities related to natural farming," Vaghani noted.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
As someone who works in sustainable agriculture, I'm impressed by the scale of this initiative. 35,829 farmers is significant. The cluster-based approach for training is smart. The real test will be maintaining yield during transition and creating a market for naturally grown produce.
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Rohit P
Direct Benefit Transfer is the best part. No middlemen, money goes straight to the farmer's account. This is how all schemes should work. Kudos to the Gujarat government. Hope other states learn from this model.
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Priya S
While the intent is good, ₹2000 per acre per season might not be enough for many small farmers to fully transition, especially if they face initial drop in output. The government must ensure strong extension services and maybe even procurement support. A respectful criticism.
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Aman W
"Back to Basics" is the right mantra! Our ancestors farmed this way. Good to see Governor Devvrat ji actively involved at ground level. Using indigenous cows is our traditional wisdom. This will reduce farmer debt from buying expensive chemicals also. Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan! 🇮🇳
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Nisha Z
7,100 model farms is a great idea. Farmers learn best by seeing success in their own region. Hope the quality of the produce gets a premium price in APMC markets. Healthier soil, healthier food, healthier people. Win-win.

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