Rs 90cr released for diesel subsidy

PATNA: With spectre of drought looming large over a large part of the state due to deficient rain, the government on Saturday released Rs 90 crore for immediate disbursement under diesel subsidy scheme for irrigating paddy crop. It also released a contingent plan for alternative cropping in the areas where paddy crop fails.
Agriculture production commissioner A K Chauhan on Saturday held a meeting with all the district agriculture officers and directed them to ensure timely supply of certified seeds of maize, toriya, urad and other crops by the State Seeds Corporation under contingent crop scheme, estimated to cost Rs 15 crore.The meeting was also attended by agriculture director Saravanan M and horticulture director Ajay Yadav.
Under the plan, farmers would be given subsidy for purchasing 10 litres of diesel at Rs 25 per litre for one irrigation in one acre of land, Chauhan said. The subsidy would be given to the farmers till October 30. Overall, the total subsidy will be to the tune of Rs 769 crore for irrigating the standing paddy crops, saving paddy seedlings from withering and for their successful transplantation, besides irrigating maize crop.
The district agriculture officials were directed to extend the farmers diesel subsidy for three irrigation of standing paddy crops, two irrigation of paddy seedlings and three irrigation of maize crop. Chauhan said alternative cropping of pulses, particularly urad, would be done as they need less water.
The transplantation of paddy seedlings has suffered this month, with the average rain deficiency across the state in July being 44%, Chauhan told newsmen after the meeting. The situation is particularly grim in six districts, where the rainfall deficiency is over 60% than normal. These districts are Nawada (-84%), Gaya (-73%), Lakhisarai (-71%), Sitamarhi (-70%), Vaishali (-63%), and Aurangabad (-60%), he said. Deficient rain ranging from 20-59% has occurred this month in 20 districts. Only eight districts - Katihar, Madhubani, Siwan, East Champaran, Begusarai, Arwal, Purnia, and Madhepura - have received normal rainfall while more than normal rainfall was recorded in West Champaran, Supaul, Araria and Kishanganj, Chauhan said.
Chauhan said against the target of raising paddy crop in 34 lakh hectares, sowing paddy seedlings in 3.4 lakh hectares and sowing maize in 4.75 lakh hectares, transplantation of paddy has been done in 14.30 lakh hectares (42% of the target), paddy seedlings sown in 3.13 lakh hectares (93.45% of the target) and maize crop sown in 4.10 lakh hectares (86.38% of the target) till date, he said.
In Nalanda, Nawada, Jamui, Gaya, Sheikhpura, Lakhisarai, Jehanabad, Banka, Aurangabad and Bhojpur districts, paddy transplantation could be done in only 10% of the targeted area. In Saharsa, West Champaran, Madhepura, Katihar, Kishanganj, Gopalganj, East Champaran, Sheohar, Araria, Muzaffarpur, Supaul, Sitamarhi, Siwan and Purnia districts, paddy transplantation ranged from 60 to 92%. In the rest districts, the paddy transplantation ranged from 11-59%, he added.