Udhampur (Jammu and Kashmir) [India] : The government launched an income support scheme, Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), for the farmers in the interim Budget 2019 with an aim to provide direct benefit to the poor farmers, an official release said.
The PM-KISAN scheme entails direct cash support of Rs 6,000 for farmers and is estimated to cost the exchequer Rs 75,000 crore. Under the scheme, small and marginal farmers with less than two hectares of land will get cash in their accounts in three installments of Rs 2,000 each, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare mentions in the scheme document.
Farmers from Udhampur district especially from Debrah Panchayat hailed the scheme as now they are able to buy proper seeds as earlier they were unable to buy because of lower income. As many sixty thousand four hundred eighty-nine farmers in the district benefit from the scheme, officials said.
Debrah Village is experiencing a remarkable transformation in its agricultural landscape. Thanks to the growing demand for organic vegetables, farmers are reaping the benefits of organic farming practices, which have significantly improved their fortunes. This shift towards organic vegetable cultivation has been propelled by the superior nutritional value, absence of genetically modified ingredients, and the positive environmental impact associated with organic farming.
Sanjeev Kumar Sharma, a veteran vegetable farmer with 33 years of experience from Debrah village, has embraced organic farming methods to cater to the rising demand for organic vegetables in Udhampur. Sharma, known for his dedication to chemical-free farming, expressed his gratitude to the Central government for implementing the scheme. Sharma highlighted the significant increase in demand for his organic vegetables, citing the organic farming methods he employs as the key factor. He emphasized that the use of chemical fertilizers is completely avoided in his farming practices, thereby ensuring the production of safe and healthy vegetables for consumers.
He acknowledged the government’s proactive stance in addressing the needs of farmers. He confirmed that he has received these installments promptly, which have been instrumental in enabling him to purchase various types of vegetable seeds to sustain and expand his organic farming operations. He urged the youth not to solely rely on government jobs but to establish their own businesses or embrace agriculture, citing the numerous welfare schemes launched by the government for the benefit of farmers.
As organic vegetable cultivation flourishes in Debrah village, farmers like Sanjeev Kumar Sharma are leading the charge toward sustainable and environmentally friendly agricultural practices. With the support of the PM-KISAN Yojana and increasing demand for organic produce, Debrah Village is emerging as a beacon of success, setting an inspiring example for other regions to follow in their quest for a greener and more prosperous future.
Sanjay Anand Chief Agriculture Officer, Udhampur said that there are a total of 60,489 registered farmers who avail of the benefits of the scheme.
