CM chairs meeting to promote organic farming in Uttarakhand
Dehradun: Chief Minister Harish Rawat took a meeting with the officials of agricultural department at Bijapur Guest House on Thursday. Meeting was primarily focused on promoting the traditional organic agriculture practices in the state for rural economy empowerment. CM directed the officials to prepare a organic traditional agriculture promotion scheme for promoting the farming of the Mandua, Chaulay, Ramdana, Fafar and Jhingora and standards to be finalized for encouraging the producers of these local crops. The Mandua farmers to be promoted based on the sowing area, while rest of the crops should be promoted on the production base.
CM Rawat directed that products like biscuit, Namkeen and other products that are made from the organic Mandua, Chaulay, Ramdana, Fafar and Jhingora produced in the state to be exempted from the VAT. Hill Contract Farming Scheme to be started soon as abundant barren land is available in the hilly areas on account of migration. As barren land would be utilized along with increment in agricultural production through this initiative.
The CM directed the Principal Secretary Agriculture to ensure continue monitoring of the process concerned with financial aid to the suffering farmers on account of damaged crops recently. He informed that Union Government has not responded positively in this regard till date. But State Government should help the farmers as much as possible by its limited resources. Every possible aid to be provided for the next crop.
