Avail Benefits from Government Schemes for Organic Farming

Tweet

The Government of India is promoting organic farming through various schemes like 

1. National Project on Organic Farming (NPOF)
2. National Horticulture Mission (NHM),
3. Horticulture Mission for North East & Himalayan States (HMNEH)
4. National Project on Management of Soil Health and Fertility (NPMSH&F)
5. Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY)
6. Network Project on Organic Farming of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

National Project on Organic Farming

Under National Project on Organic Farming (NPOF) scheme, assistance upto 25% and 33% of financial outlay upto a ceiling of Rs. 40 lakhs and Rs. 60 lakhs respectively is provided as back ended subsidy through NABARD for establishment of bio- pesticides/bio¬fertilizers production units and agro waste compost production units respectively. Under NPOF, a total of 56 nos. biofertilizers production units and 17 nos. of fruit/vegetables waste compost units have been established in the country. Government has been advocating integrating use of chemical fertilizers and organic manures including biofertilizers for increasing production of major crops. 

National Horticulture Mission

Besides, under National Horticulture Mission (NHM) and Horticulture Mission for North East & Himalayan States (HMNEH), financial assistance is provided for setting up vermi-compost production units @ 50% of the cost subject to a maximum of Rs. 30,000/- per beneficiary, for adoption of organic farming @ Rs.10,000/- per hectare for maximum area of 4 hectare per beneficiary and for organic farming certification @ Rs.5.00 lakh for a group of farmers covering an area of 50 hectares.

Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna
Assistance for promotion of organic farming on different components are also available under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) with the approval of State Level Sanctioning Committee.

National Food Security Mission
Under National Food Security Mission (NFSM) on Pulses, including Accelerated Pulses Production Programme (A3P), assistance for popularizing Rhizobium culture/Phosphate Solubilising bacteria is provided to the farmers under cluster demonstrations.

Promoting the use of Biofertilizer
Central Government has notified biofertilizers like Rhizobium, Azotobacter, Azospirillum, Acetobacter, PSB, KMB, Zinc Solubilizing bacteria under Fertilizer Control Order (FCO). Similarly, under Initiative for Nutritional Security through Intensive Millets Promotion (INSIMP) Programme, Phosphate Solubilising Bacteria/Azotobacter culture is provided to the farmers as part of technology demonstration. Further, under National Project on Management of Soil Health and Fertility (NPMSH&F) financial assistance of Rs 500 per hectare is provided to promote use of organic manure.

ICAR Contribution in Promoting Organic Farming 

All India Network Project on Soil Biodiversity-Biofertilizers is implemented by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for R & D on biofertilizers. The ICAR has developed technologies to prepare various types of organic manures such as phosphocompost, vermi compost, municipal solid waste compost etc. Improved and efficient strains of biofertilizers specific to different crops and soil types are being developed under Network Project on biofertilizers.
The financial assistance is provided on the basis of project proposals received from States including Maharashtra. Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) under Network Project on Organic Farming, with lead centre at Project Directorate for Farming Systems Research Modipuram is developing package of practices of different crops and cropping system under organic farming in different agro-ecological regions of the country.

It is important to note that India exported agri-organic products of total volume of 160276.95 MT and realization was around Rs.1155.81 crores in year 2012-13.