Will eligible farmers benefit from agricultural schemes? Maha Minister
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Maharashtra government commits to supporting eligible farmers.
- Significant funds allocated for various agricultural schemes.
- Phased approval process for farmer applications.
- Inquiry into financial irregularities at agriculture universities.
- Continued focus on agricultural mechanization and development.
Nagpur, Dec 11 (NationPress) Maharashtra's Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharne assured the Legislative Council on Thursday that no eligible farmer in the state would miss out on the benefits of the agricultural schemes initiated by the state government, highlighting the government's commitment to the farming community.
Minister Bharne responded to concerns raised by Member Ranjitsinh Mohite Patil regarding the outstanding funds and subsidies for various farmer schemes in Maharashtra.
He emphasized that the government has consistently supported farmers during difficult times and pledged to maintain this support. He confirmed that the required funds for agricultural schemes would be allocated by March.
Furthermore, the Agriculture Department verifies all documentation to ensure applicants meet the eligibility criteria before benefits are granted.
Bharne announced the allocation of substantial funds for various schemes for the financial year 2025-2026, including Rs 82.67 crore under the Centrally Sponsored Sub Mission on Agricultural Mechanization, Rs 200 crore for state-sponsored agricultural mechanization, and Rs 251.41 crore under the Prime Minister's National Agricultural Development Scheme.
Additionally, Rs 100 crore has been allocated for the Mukhyamantri Shashwat Krishi Sinchan Yojana, Rs 62.70 crore for the Bhausaheb Fundkar Fruit Orchard Planting Scheme, and Rs 31.97 crore for the Mukhyamantri Krishi & Anna Prakriya Yojana, along with Rs 68.33 crore for the Integrated Horticulture Development Scheme.
Minister Bharne mentioned that a supplementary demand of Rs 127.71 crore has been made for the Bhausaheb Fundkar Fruit Orchard Planting Scheme during the Winter Session.
A proposal for the second installment of funds under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme has been forwarded to the Central Government.
For the Krishi Samruddhi Yojana, an annual allocation of Rs 5,000 crore has been approved for the next five years, totaling Rs 25,000 crore.
State Minister for Agriculture Ashish Jaiswal mentioned that the process of uploading farmer applications for agricultural scheme benefits is currently in progress. He assured that as applications are submitted, they will be approved in phases, ensuring that no eligible farmer is overlooked.
In response to a question from Member Vikram Kale about the university misusing development funds, Minister Bharne stated that appropriate actions would be taken against those found guilty of financial irregularities at the Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth (VNMKV), Parbhani.
Bharne clarified that the university should have obtained approval from the Executive Council and the Maharashtra State Council of Agricultural Education and Research for infrastructure development works. However, as these approvals were not secured, a five-member inquiry committee has been established, chaired by the Director General of the Maharashtra Council of Agricultural Education and Research (MCAER), Pune, to investigate the financial discrepancies.
He confirmed that the report from the committee has been received by the government and has been submitted to the Governor.