Haryana govt committed to safeguarding interests of farmers: Agriculture Minister Rana

Chandigarh, Jan 13 (PTI) Haryana Agriculture Minister Shyam Singh Rana said the state government is fully committed to safeguarding the interests of farmers, and there will be no shortage of funds for any welfare scheme.

The agriculture and farmers' welfare minister emphasised that the benefits of government schemes must reach the farmers.

Rana was chairing the pre-budget consultation meeting of the Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Department here on Monday.

Senior officers of the department participated in the meeting and made detailed presentations on the utilisation of the budget allocated in the previous year under various agricultural schemes run by the central and state governments, the current financial position, and the projected expenditure for the coming year, an official statement said.

During the meeting, Rana reviewed the progress of the "Mera Pani Meri Virasat" scheme and described water conservation as a priority for the state. He said promoting alternatives to water-intensive crops, such as paddy, is the need of the hour and directed officers to create awareness among farmers about crops that yield higher production with less water.

He also laid a special emphasis on the scientific and environment-friendly management of paddy straw and other crop residues. Rana said that to effectively tackle the problem of stubble-burning, farmers should be provided timely access to machinery, technical support and incentives.

Reviewing the Soil Health Card scheme, the agriculture minister said that soil testing should not remain a mere formality; instead, it should provide farmers with scientific guidance -- from sowing to harvesting -- ”on fertiliser use, crop selection and ways to increase productivity.

Rana also instructed officials to encourage farmers towards organic farming so that cultivation costs are reduced, soil fertility is maintained, and consumers receive chemical-free and nutritious food.

Director General of the Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Department, Rajnarayan Kaushik, Chief Administrator of the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board Mukesh Kumar Ahuja, and other senior officers were present in the meeting. PTI SUN MNK MNK