January 28, 2015
WB Govt launches ‘Amar Dhan Amar Chatal’ – A beneficiary scheme for farmers
The West Bengal government is taking up the agriculture scheme – ‘Amar Dhan Amar Chatal‘ in which sheds will be set up and paddy drying machines will be provided to farmers across the state to protect the procured paddy from getting damaged before it is sent to the rice mills.
The scheme which is under the central government entails farmers to protect paddy by bringing it under a shed and the drying machines will be supplied to farmers to produce rice in the mills. It is more of a post harvesting care for ensuring food security. The scheme will fall under the second green revolution in eastern India.
Farmers from all districts across the state will come under the purview of the scheme. The drying machines, that will be brought from Germany, costs around Rs 10,000 each.
Earlier, the state government slashed the levy imposed on the rice mills for procuring rice from the government from 50% to 25%, with the food and supplies department keeping its procurement target of 22 lakh metric tonne intact for the next procurement season. Food camps will be held in 165 blocks across the state for selling rice to the farmers. The state government will also give 15 paisa of subsidy for procuring per kilogram of rice.
Besides, Agriculture department officials have started working on distributing leaflets to farmers to make them aware on how potato plants could be protected from various kinds of diseases.
