Bonus amount of Rs 300 crore released in accounts of 2.62 lakh Haryana farmers: CM Saini

Chandigarh, Nov 15 (PTI) Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Friday released a bonus instalment of Rs 300 crore for the state's farmers on the occasion of 555th birth anniversary of Sikhism's founder Guru Nanak Dev.

With a single click, the amount was directly transferred to the bank accounts of 2.62 lakh farmers, an official statement said.

Saini said that keeping the interests of the farmers paramount, the state government had earlier decided to give a bonus of Rs 2,000 per acre on agricultural and horticultural crops being produced in the state due to adverse weather conditions during Kharif-2024.

On August 16, the chief minister transferred a bonus of Rs 496 crore as the first instalment, directly into the accounts of 5.80 lakh farmers through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.

Saini said that this bonus will be given to all those farmers who have registered themselves on the 'Meri Fasal Mera Byora' portal. A total amount of Rs 1,380 crore is to be given to the farmers.

So far, payment has been made in two instalments. As part of the third instalment, an amount of Rs 580 crore will be transferred to the bank accounts of the remaining 4.94 lakh farmers through DBT in the next 10 to 15 days, he said.

Taking another initiative for the farmers, Chief Minister Saini on Friday launched the distribution of 40 lakh Soil Health Cards through WhatsApp.

This initiative has been introduced to address delays in the distribution of the printed cards, which were preventing farmers from utilizing the recommendations on time. Now, soil health cards will be directly sent to farmers' mobile numbers through WhatsApp as soon as the results of their soil tests are uploaded to the online portal, he said.

He said that soil testing is conducted every three years in the state to provide farmers with vital information, including the quantity of seeds required and the appropriate use of fertilizers, helping to boost crop yields.

By receiving timely soil health cards, farmers will be encouraged to apply fertilizers based on actual soil requirements. The quick distribution of these cards will not only increase their usage among farmers but also contribute to enhanced productivity and income, the chief minister said.

According to the statement, Haryana initiated its first detailed soil fertility assessment study in the year 2021-22, with the goal of providing a soil health card for every acre of agricultural land in the state.

Under this scheme, soil samples were collected from each acre of agricultural land and tested, and Soil Health Cards were issued to farmers.

These cards offer valuable guidance on the optimal use of fertilizers, advising farmers on the right type and quantity of fertilizers to apply for each crop, helping them achieve maximum yield and improve net returns.

Meanwhile, on the auspicious occasion of the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, Chief Minister Saini launched the 'Vivadon Se Samadhan' scheme (VSSS-2024) aimed at resolving dues enhancement-related disputes of the plot holders of Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP).

The primary objective of this scheme is to provide a one-time resolution for enhancement issues. This scheme will be effective for the next six months starting from November 15, 2024, an official statement said.

Saini said that the VSSS-2024 will resolve all pending enhancement cases of plot holders. Over 7,000 plot holders would benefit from the scheme, with a total relief amounting to approximately Rs 550 crore. PTI SUN HIG