Rajasthan Govt Clears Rs 463 Cr To Boost Micro Irrigation System

The Rajasthan government has sanctioned Rs 463 crore to improve the state's micro-irrigation infrastructure.

In the next two years, the redesigned Rajasthan Micro Irrigation Scheme would assist 50,000 farmers in the construction of agricultural ponds. According to a senior government official, the government plans to spend more than Rs 260 crore on this.

Official said that non-small-marginal farmers of scheduled castes and tribes would receive a 10 per cent subsidy in addition to small and marginal farmers. To help them, the subsidy limit for the construction of plastic-lined farm ponds has been raised from Rs 90,000 to Rs 1.20 lakh.

Over the next two years, 40,000 farmers will receive subsidies for the 16,000-acre irrigation pipeline, which would cost Rs 43.20 crore in 2023-24. Simultaneously, Rs 158 crore would be spent in 2023-24 to build 5,000 small ponds.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has approved the proposal to prolong the payment of Kharif-2022 short-term agricultural loans. Farmers must now repay their loans by 30 June, or within 12 months of receiving them, whichever comes first. This will give the farmers more time to repay their loans. Similarly, a budgetary request of Rs 736 crore has been approved, including Rs 560 crore for the interest-free crop loan subsidy scheme and Rs 176 crore for the compensatory interest subsidy scheme.  

In addition, farmers will receive a 5 per cent interest subsidy if they return long-term agriculture cooperative loans on schedule. The state has also planned to provide a 5 per cent interest subsidy to farmers who take up housing loans to erect residences in their farms between 2023 and 2024.