Govt to Promote Cow-Based Natural Farming in Seven Bundelkhand Districts

According to the minister of agriculture, Surya Pratap Shahi, the state government has chosen to start cow-based organic farming in all seven of the districts that make up the Bundelkhand area to spread the idea over the entire state in the future.

The minister said that the government will invest ₹68 crores in encouraging and teaching farmers to embrace natural farming in the Bundelkhand area so that they could cultivate toxin-free food grain and increase their revenue in addition to eliminating the problem of stray cattle.

The minister stated, "Cow-based farming would be launched in all 47 development blocks, which include seven districts in Bundelkhand, by the ₹68-crore program filed to the Centre for approval. He said, "On 15,000 hectares of land, in 470 clusters of 50 hectares each, the organic farming will start.

According to Shahi, the government has sent the Centre a new proposal for a scheme aimed at promoting natural farming in the Ganga River Valley districts, asking for the inclusion of 20 more districts. In 20 new districts, he stated, "1714 clusters totaling 85,710 hectares of land are intended to be established up within a 5 km radius on both sides of the Ganga.”

According to him, agriculture science centers have been instructed to create models for organic farming and attract farmers to practice organic farming using cows.

The minister went on to say that his department had met its goal of providing solar pumps to 10,000 farmers during the first 100 days of the present government. “We have selected 10,000 beneficiaries, and we will begin providing solar pumps to them as soon as they deposit 40% of the pump's cost,” he stated.

He noted that "all such and other ineligible farmers would be held accountable for the money."

The minister said that the government was also working to establish agricultural producers' organizations to promote entrepreneurship in rural areas. More than 9,000 farmers in Bundelkhand, according to him, have signed up for the "Khet Talab Yojana."

Targets achieved

• ₹68 crores for cow-based farming in seven districts in Bundelkhand

• Organic farming to be started on 15,000 hectares of land

• 10,000 beneficiaries identified for solar pumps

• Agriculture science centers to develop organic farming models