Govt to launch PM-PRANAM scheme soon to reduce chemical fertiliser use

NEW DELHI: In a bid to discourage the use of chemical fertilisers, the government is likely to launch a scheme called -- Pradhan Mantri – Promotion of Alternative Nutritious And Agriculture Management (PM-PRANAM). 

The scheme will incentivise those states that use lesser amounts of chemical fertilisers in a particular year as compared with the average quantity used over a period of the last three years.

“Those states, which used less fertiliser like urea, diammonium phosphate (DAP), muriate of potash (MOP)...etc in a year as against the average consumption of the last three years will be incentivised by providing incentive grants at the rate of 50 per cent of the total amount of subsidy saved by using less fertilizer,” the source said.

“States can use 80 per cent of such incentive grant for the welfare of farmers like setting up of bio/organic fertiliser plants. The remaining fund can be used to run the schemes, which provide them with alternative fertilisers,” he further added.

“The scheme will not lead to any fresh economic burden on the exchequer,” he stated. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15, while delivering his independence speech appealed to the farmers to use less chemical fertilisers. “Today natural farming is also the path towards self-reliance…. Natural farming, chemical-free farming can give strength to the country’s goal of becoming self-reliant,” Modi had stated.

To incentivise for using less chemical fertilisers 
The scheme will incentivise those states that use lesser amounts of chemical fertilisers in a particular year as compared with the average quantity used over a period of the last three years