SHILLONG: The state has given prominence to farming community thanks to the crisis due to coronavirus.
While the Agriculture department is ready to assist the farmers to carry out farming activities besides marketing their produce, the department has also decided to pursue with the Centre for the implementation of PM Kisan scheme for the landless farmers.
There are 2,33,472 estimated number of land holder farmers out of which 1,31,476 were already registered for the PM Kisan scheme and a total of 1,04,799 farmers have been befitted till date from the scheme.
The farmers get Rs 6000 per year which is transferred in three installments of Rs 2000 each.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, Director of Agriculture (Research and Training) L. Kharkrang said that owing to the peculiar land tenure system in the state, most of the farmers work on clan land, lease land and community land and hence they have no land documents.
The department is seeking the Centre’s intervention to avail the scheme also for the landless farmers. As for the PM-Kisan scheme for the marginalised farmers, a letter has been sent to the Centre and the department is still pushing for it. The problem is that there are no land documents with the farmers which is hindering the approval from the Centre.
On the other hand, several farmers are also facing problems as many of them do not know about the scheme although the department distributed pamphlets and created awareness through various means of communication.
On the other hand, Director of Agriculture, BK Syiem said that the scheme for vegetable seeds is going on and the department has ensured that the welfare of the farmers is taken care of.
He added that in addition to the scheme, there is an arrangement with the suppliers who bring the seeds to the farmers. The farmers can also contact District Agriculture and Horticulture office.
The farmers are also getting passes in order to sell their produce and there is also an alternate arrangement of 1917iTeams which directly procure their produce and the initiative is done in coordination with the VEC and Dorbar Shnong.
He also said that the Dorbar Shnong has been asked to designate some people to help take vegetables from villages and assist in providing passes to them during curfew.
Syiem said the paddy season is ongoing and there are some farmers who are harvesting.
“We are not facing production problem in terms of vegetables as they were planted before lockdown”, he said.
On the other hand, the department is also discussing the issue of rising prices of agricultural produce with the farmers and the Hill Farmers’ Union (HFU).
The department has a vegetable market in Upper Shillong, and another wholesale market in Mawlai Mawiong.
The department is also encouraging farmers to open up their own local market such as the one in Mawryngkneng where no outside vegetables are allowed except local vegetables. Syiem said that social distancing norms and other health advisories are also adhered to.
Kharkrang said though 70 per cent of the population depends on agriculture, the fragmentation of land has affected the availability of land in the state.
The MGNREGA has been helpful to the farming community as it helped in construction of farmland, construction to prevent soil erosion and other agriculture related activities.
“We are doing convergence”, Kharkrang added.
