Agriculture Department should innovate with progressive farmers: Gehlot

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot launched a campaign to encourage the officials to increase the coverage of procurement on the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of various crops, rationalize the crop insurance scheme, promote low water crops and drop-by-irrigation and sprinkler irrigation projects Gave instructions.

On Monday, Gehlot was addressing a group-wise review meeting of agriculture and various departments related to it through video conference. To make agriculture a profitable business for the farmers, the Chief Minister has emphasized to innovate with progressive farmers, promote organic and natural farming, research on the basis of geographical conditions and climate, and suggest crop production.

He said that agriculture is a matter of high priority for the state government because the development of this region only gives a boost to the progress of the state and the country. He decided to pay Rs. 25 crore for the state share payable to the insurance companies as premium for the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana from the Farmers Welfare Fund constituted by the state government. Besides, an amount of Rs 92.2 crore has also been sanctioned from the Farmers Welfare Fund for payment of outstanding obligations of 'Diggi Construction' in various districts of the state. Gehlot also decided to give 50 percent of the 20 percent surcharge payable on stamp duty in the form of a grant to the cows operating in the state for the protection of cows and the promotion of cows.

It is worth mentioning that in the past, a 10 percent surcharge on stamp duty was payable for the protection of cows and the promotion of cows. The surcharge on stamp duty was increased from 10 percent to 20 percent in view of the circumstances arising out of the global COVID-19 epidemic. Principal Secretary, Agriculture, Keylal Meena said that farmers of the state will soon be able to apply online through the Raj Kisan Portal to take advantage of various schemes and grants.

During this, Agriculture Minister Lalchand Kataria, Gopalan Pramod Jain Bhaya, Cooperative Minister Udaylal Anjana, Minister of State for Food and Civil Supplies Sukhram Vishnoi, Minister of State for Cooperation, Tikaram Julie, Minister of State for Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Bhajan Lal Jatav, Chief Secretary Rajiv Swaroop were present along with senior officers of various departments.