Gandhinagar, May 27 (IANS) The Gujarat government has increased financial assistance under its farm wire fencing scheme and reduced the minimum land requirement for eligibility, in a move aimed at helping more farmers protect crops from stray cattle and wild animals before the monsoon season.

The decisions were taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Wednesday.

State Agriculture Minister and government spokesperson Jitu Vaghani said assistance under the barbed wire fencing scheme has been increased from Rs 200 per running metre to Rs 300 per running metre.

Farmers will now receive assistance of Rs 300 per running metre or 50 per cent of the actual expenditure incurred, whichever is lower.

Giving reasons for the revision, Vaghani said, “At present, due to the increase in market prices of materials and labour costs, the average expenditure has increased. Therefore, to reduce the financial burden on farmers, the government has decided to increase the assistance.”

The government has also relaxed eligibility norms under the scheme. Earlier, farmers of all categories were required to form a cluster of at least two hectares to avail assistance. The minimum cluster requirement has now been reduced to one hectare.

Vaghani said smaller farmers were often deprived of benefits because the required two-hectare cluster could not be maintained if any farmer in the group disagreed.

“Keeping the interests of such farmers in mind, this limit has now been reduced to just one hectare,” he said.

According to the minister, around 1 lakh applications have so far been received through the i-Khedut Portal under the scheme.

He said all applications would be approved in phases before the monsoon, in accordance with rules, so that farmers can complete fencing work before becoming fully occupied with agricultural activities.

“For this purpose, the state government has allocated Rs 240 crore,” Vaghani said, adding that additional funds would also be arranged if required.

The minister further said that earlier, the application portal for the scheme was opened only once a year.

However, to ensure that the maximum number of farmers benefit this year, the portal would be reopened if necessary.

“If needed, arrangements for additional funds over and above Rs 240 crore will also be made, farmers’ applications will be accepted, and economic protection will be provided to farmers across the state,” he said.

–IANS

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