Photo Source; Babushahi Bureau
MP Satnam Sandhu raises issue of usage of Chemical Fertilizers and steps taken by Govt to promote organic farming, improving soil health
Union Government has started initiatives like PM-PRANAM and PKVY to promote Organic Farming and improving the soil health informs Union Minister of Chemical & Fertilizers
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, December 3, 2024: The total nutrient per hectare consumption of Punjab is 77% more than the National Consumption. However, due to awareness raised by the Government, there has been a decline in usage of fertilizers in Punjab over the last 3 years.
From use of 251.36 kg consumption of fertilizers per hectare in Punjab in 2021-22, the consumption has come down to 247.61 kg per hectare in 2023-24.
This was stated by the facts given by Union Minister for Chemical & Fertilizers and Health & Family Welfare, Jagat Parkash Nadda in a reply to the question of Member Parliament Rajya Sabha Satnam Singh Sandhu.
Member Parliament (Rajya Sabha) Satnam Singh Sandhu had raised the question of the consumption pattern of Chemical Fertilizers in Punjab viz-a-viz the national consumption. He further asked the Government to inform the house about the steps taken by it to revive organic farming specially in Punjab and also steps to promote organic fertilizers and improve the health of soil.
While replying to the question of schemes run by the Government of India to promote organic farming on priority in States for improving soil health and water retention, Union Minister for Chemicals & Fertilizers and Health & Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda apprised the house that, “Government has started PARAMPARAGAT KRISHI VIKAS YOJANA (PKVY) which stresses on end-to-end support to farmers engaged in organic farming.
The farmers are given assistance from production to processing, certification and marketing and post- harvest management. Under PKVY, assistance of Rs. 31,500 per ha for a period of 3 years is provided for promotion of organic farming to cover different components. Out of this, the assistance of Rs. 15,000 per ha for a period of 3 years is provided to farmers through Direct Benefit Transfer”.
The reply to MP Sandhu’s question also included assistance given to farmers of Punjab in promoting organic farming. Th Union Minister said, “During the last 8 years, under the PARAMPARAGAT KRISHI VIKAS YOJANA (PKVY), total funds of Rs 26.75 Cr in which the area covered under organic farming in Punjab is currently 6,981 ha and 6,676 farmers have been benefited”.
Union Minister for Chemical & Fertilizers, JP. Nadda also gave the reply to the steps taken by Government to revive organic farming and improving the soil fertility and said, “In 2023, Government started PM Programme for Restoration, Awareness Generation, Nourishment, and Amelioration of Mother-Earth (PM-PRANAM) which aims to support the mass movement to preserve the health of Mother Earth through the promotion of sustainable and balanced fertilizer use, adoption of alternative fertilizers, promotion of organic farming, and implementation of resource conservation technologies. Under the PM-PRANAM scheme, provisions have been made to provide incentives to States/UTs for reduction of consumption of chemical fertilizers (Urea, DAP, NPK, MOP) in a given financial year”.
In addition the Union Minister also informed that, the Government has started the Market Development Assistance (MDA) under which Rs. 1500 per Metric Tonn is given to farmers to promote organic fertilizers.
A special outlay of Rs. 1451.84 crores has been kept under various schemes such as GOBARdhan initiative covering different Biogas/CBG, Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) scheme, Waste to Energy‟ program and Swachh Bharat Mission (Rural) of DDWS”. To promote research in the field of Organic Fertilizers production a corpus of Rs. 360 Crore has been kept.
While releasing the figures under MDA scheme, Union Minister in his reply said, “The total subsidy given to farmers of Rs. 12.73 crores through the sales of FOM/LFOM/PROM. As on November 2024, there has been a total production of 2,28,623.90 Metric Tonnes of Organic Manure”. In respect of Punjab, the total sales of FOM/LFOM/PROM has been 76,167 Metric Tonnes, for which Rs. 6.82 Crores of subsidy has been given to farmers.