Maharashtra govt to make higher allocations for agriculture in state budget
To focus on group farming model to help small and marginal farmers; budget to be presented on February 26. (In picture: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis) To focus on group farming model to help small and marginal farmers; budget to be presented on February 26. (In picture: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis)
The state government is likely to provide higher budgetary allocations in the agriculture sector and focus on group farming to tackle farm distress and check the cost incurred by individual farmers in pursuing agriculture and allied activities. The state budget will be presented on February 26.
“The state government is all set to enhance its capital expenditure in the 2018-19 Maharashtra budget,” a source said.
The decision to allocate higher funds for agriculture is to keep pace with the reforms initiated by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in the last three years to tackle the agrarian crisis and drought in almost 25,000 villages, sources said.
Total investment in agriculture and allied sectors increased from Rs 56,576 crore in 2016-17 to 73,440 crore in 2017-18. Notwithstanding the financial constraints, the state government has decided to make higher investments in agriculture in the coming budget, sources said.
Fadnavis has set a target of extending the group farming model across 14 drought-prone districts of Marathwada and Vidarbha by December 2018. He has directed officials in the ministries of agriculture and finance to ensure group farming model takes root across 40,913 villages by 2019.
The centre’s decision to encourage group farming was taken forward by the state government two years ago on a pilot basis in Osmanabad and Yavatmal districts, said an official who added that the state government is trying to replicate the successful pilot projects at Osmanabad and Yavatmal across the state and provide financial security to small and marginal farmers.
In the group farming model, at least 20 farmers with individual land holding not exceeding 10 acres are encouraged to pool their farms for collective farming. The state government provides financial assistance up to Rs 1 crore for group farming. Agricultural experts provide the knowledge and technological assistance to these farmers.
The group farming model reveals that it helped to unburden individual farmers up to 50 per cent in terms of cost, sources said, adding that farmers got higher returns compared to individual farming methods. Group farming also helps in building better market chains, they said.
The state government’s initiative in the last two years also paved the way for greater partnership between farmers and private companies.
The government is working to bring scientific methods by using technology to further bring down investments in farming, sources said.
Of the total 1.36 crore farmers in Maharashtra, 78 per cent are small and marginal farmers with land holding less than five acres.
The government believes the group farming model would benefit small and marginal farmers by doubling production and getting them a higher income.
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