Subsidy on drip irrigation system raised to 90 pc

Subsidy on drip irrigation system raised to 90 pc Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Jammu, November 19
The state government today announced a 30 per cent increase in subsidy on the installation of the drip irrigation (micro irrigation) system in fields. Earlier, there was a total of 60 per cent subsidy, 50 per cent to be provided by the Centre and 10 per cent by the state government.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah made this announcement at the “Horti Expo 2011” at the Kala Kendra here today. The total subsidy is now 90 per cent and the farmers will have to pay only 10 per cent.

“The Centre will continue providing 50 per cent subsidy, while the state has increased its share of the subsidy from 10 per cent to 40 per cent. It will help the farmers to install the drip irrigation system in their fields and save water,” said Omar.

Stressing upon the farmers to adopt this water saving technique, Omar said, “Farmers in our neighbouring states are already using this technique. Even some progressive farmers in the Kashmir valley have been using the drip irrigation system. My father has also installed it in his fields. The time has come for our farmers in the Jammu region to use this technique.”

He added, “Having to pay just 10 per cent is very nominal and almost every farmer can use this system to irrigate his fields (big or small). It is beneficial to all kinds of farmers.”

Meanwhile, Minister for Horticulture Sham Lal Sharma said, “Our state has a huge potential of dry fruit production and we are hopeful of getting 40 lakh metric tonnes of production by 2014, which was just 13 lakh metric tonnes during 2008-09.”

About paddy procurement, Sharma said the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and the Union government were not providing the state the kind of support it actually required.

He said the government had planned to open fruit and vegetable markets in every district by next year. Besides, a cold storage would also be opened in every district, he added.

Those prominent among present at the Horti Expo organised by the Department of Horticulture, Jammu, were Director, Horticulture, JL Sharma and Vice-Chairman of the Kissan Advisory Board Rashpal Singh.

A few stalls were also put up to spread awareness about the new techniques among the farmers. However, some stall managers alleged that the show, which was scheduled from November 18 to 20, started a day later.

The department did not charge any fee from the stall owners.