Lucknow, 23 August: Even as poor rainfall threatens kharif agricultural yield in many parts of Uttar Pradesh, the state government announced a two-pronged policy to help farmers: one, distribute as many solar pumps as possible, and two, dig up ponds in important and semi-critical areas.
The government has set a target of installing 30,864 solar pumps by the end of this year, according to UP Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi.
He stated that over 19,000 farmer applications have already been received, and the government has set up Rs 37 crore for the purpose. According to the minister, his department has also urged the Centre for the prompt availability of funding for the installation of solar pumps.
“Farmers are being compensated in a warlike manner. The state administration is concerned about the wellbeing of farmers “he stated. ?The state government has installed around 26,000 solar pumps in the last five years. The administration, according to Shahi, intends to excavate 10,000 ponds by the end of the year. So far, the state government has excavated 24,583 rural ponds. Around 20,000 (80%) of these are in the Bundelkhand and Vindhyachal areas, as well as other important and semi-critical blocks. He stated that in order to mitigate the harm caused by less rain, farmers would be educated on how to cultivate vegetables in unoccupied fields based on the agro-climatic zone and local market.
Furthermore, the government would make an effort to supply improved types of healthy plants to farmers through its Center of Excellence, Mini Centers of Excellence, and Krishi Vigyan Kendras.
According to agricultural department authorities, barely 40-60% of normal rainfall has fallen in 33 districts. There are 19 districts that have received less than 40% of their annual rainfall. Till August 20 of this year, the state received a total of 284 mm of rain, which is less than 504.10 mm in 2021 and 520.3 mm in 2020. Chitrakoot was the only district to get more rain than usual. Experts fear that if the current scenario continues, farmers would suffer as well.
Despite a modest decrease in acreage, the minister stated that the planted crop, particularly rice, has been harmed owing to the protracted rainy season gap. The state’s goal for the 2022-23 kharif season was to achieve a total crop cover of 96.03 lakh hectares. In comparison, the kharif crop has so far been planted on 93.22 lakh hectares, accounting for 97.7% of the objective. The area was 98.9 lakh hectares last year.
