Kandi Area Farmers will get 50 Percent Subsidy upon Fencing of their Agricultural Fields: Sadhu Singh Dharamsot

Spokesman News Service: Chandigarh, November 21: The Punjab Government has initiated a subsidy scheme for the fencing of fields of the farmers hailing from kandi region in order to save their crops from the wild animals. The government would provide 50 percent subsidy to the farmers for fencing their cultivativable agricultural fields.

Mr. Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, Forest Minister, Punjab disclosed that the ratio of subsidy to be given to farmers is 50 percent and it would be increased to 60 percent if the fencing is done by the self-help group of farmers. He said that the farmers would be given a subsidy of Rs.125 per meter for barbed wire fencing with wooden planks (Balli) or fence posts and farmers' self-help groups would get subsidy of Rs.150 per meter.

He said that farmers would be provided subsidy of Rs. 175 per meter and farmers' self-help groups Rs. 210 per meter for erecting barbed wire fencing and with cement or angle iron fence posts. The Forest Minister said that the maximum limit of fencing allowed under this scheme for Small Farmers (2.5 acres) will be 400 running meters, for marginal farmers (2.5-5.0 acre) will be 600 running meters and for farmers with large land holdings (more than 5.0 For acres) it will be 1000 running meters.

He said that for self-help group of farmers, it will be 2000 running meters. He said that under this scheme for grant of subsidy the priority would be given to those farmers and self-help groups whose cultivable land is adjacent to the forest lands and agriculture is being done on that land. He said that this scheme will not be apply on barren and non-cultivable lands.

Mr. Dharmsot said that the beneficiary farmers will get benefits through DBT in their bank accounts after field monitoring of fencing on their agricultural fields. He said that for this purpose the farmers can contact the nearest Divisional Forest Officer or Range Forest Officer for registering themselves. He said that in this regard Forest Circle, Rupnagar, SAS Nagar, Dasuya, Pathankot, Garhshankar and Hoshiarpur can be contacted.

Mr. Dharmsot further said that the Punjab government is committed to welfare of the farmers of the state. He also said that wild animals in Kandi area were harming the farmers of the farmers since a very long time. He said that this problem would be overcome now. He also added that the farmers belonging to the kandi areas of Rupnagar, SAS Nagar, Dasuya, Pathankot, Garh Shankar and Hoshiarpur would be eligible to get benefit of this scheme.