Lucknow: In a bold move to uplift the condition of farmers in the state, the Yogi Adithyanath government has decided to extend the Mukhya Mantri Khet Suraksha Yojana's reach beyond Bundelkhand, making it applicable throughout Uttar Pradesh. To ensure the success of this initiative, the government has proposed a substantial increase in the scheme's budget, raising it from Rs 75 crore to Rs 350 crore.
The Mukhya Mantri Khet Suraksha Yojana introduces a solar fence, operating at a mild 12 volts, to protect crops from wandering animals. By giving a harmless shock to the animals upon contact, the solar fence effectively deters them from causing damage to the crops. Animals such as nilgai, monkeys, pigs/wild boars, etc., will be kept away from the fields, minimizing the risk to standing crops.
To support small and marginal farmers in adopting this scheme, the government plans to provide a grant of 60 per cent or Rs 1.43 lakh per hectare. The Agriculture Department has prepared a draft of the scheme, which will soon be presented to the cabinet for approval. Once approved, the scheme will be implemented across the entire state, benefiting farmers statewide.
In a significant parallel initiative, the Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Department are actively working to reclaim pastures from illegal encroachments. Recognizing the role of pastures in mitigating crop damage caused by animals, the department initiated this campaign on July 11, intending to continue it until August 25.
These efforts also aim to counter any attempts to politicize the issue of crop destruction by stray animals during the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Many farmers shared their current struggles, expressing distress caused by stray animals like nilgai, cows, buffaloes, and wild boars entering their fields and damaging their crops. Often faced with losses or meager profits, farmers are compelled to either guard their fields personally or hire someone to do so during the night.
Raja Kurmi, a farmer, lamented, "We toil all day in the fields and even at night, we cannot rest properly due to the fear of animals destroying our crops. It's taking a toll on our health now."
Despite the challenges, a growing number of farmers are gravitating towards sugarcane cultivation as it proves to be an all-weather crop, resilient to weather fluctuations, despite its associated risks.
