Jalna, Aug 17 (IANS) A central government scheme, Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) VB-G RAM G has helped farmer Santaji Bhoite of Antarwala village in Jalna district take up sweet lime cultivation. This has helped Bhoite to create an additional source of income.

With financial assistance provided under the scheme, his fruit orchard has now started yielding produce and generating good returns.

The region’s fruit orchards have suffered damage this year due to excessive rainfall and an unidentified pest attack. Despite the losses, Bhoite harvested his sweet lime crop before the rains and secured a good price for his produce.

Bhoite said that without the assistance provided under the government scheme, it would not have been easy for him to establish a fruit orchard on such a large scale.

After learning about the scheme, Bhoite applied to the Block Development Officer in Jalna for assistance for sweet lime cultivation in the prescribed format. Along with the application, he submitted a letter seeking work under the scheme to the Gram Sevak, a copy of the Gram Sabha resolution, Aadhaar card, bank passbook and other required documents.

After completing the prescribed process, he received the benefits under the scheme and began developing a sweet lime orchard on his farmland.

Under the scheme, Bhoite planted 600 sweet lime saplings on his farm. Various activities required for establishing the orchard, including digging pits, planting saplings, applying manure and weeding, were carried out with assistance under the scheme.

He also received a subsidy of Rs 40 per plant for all 600 saplings. This reduced the cost of establishing the orchard and helped him develop a long-term additional income source from his land.

Bhoite said that over the past two years, his orchard produced around three tonnes of sweet lime annually, providing him with a good income. This year, he had expected production to reach around five to six tonnes. However, the unidentified pest attack and excessive rainfall caused considerable damage to the orchard.

Despite the losses, harvesting the crop before the rains enabled him to earn a substantial income from the produce.

Bhoite said that despite weather-related challenges and pest damage, the income generated from the orchard has proved beneficial for his family. He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the central government for schemes aimed at supporting farmers.

He said government assistance helped him establish the orchard and that it now provides him with a regular source of income.

Bhoite also urged other farmers to learn about available government schemes and avail themselves of the benefits for which they are eligible.

According to him, government support, hard work and choosing the right agricultural activities can play an important role in increasing farmers’ incomes.

Sweet lime cultivation has proved profitable for him, and he believes other farmers can also strengthen their agricultural activities by making effective use of available government schemes.

–IANS

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