Times of India: Surat: Tuesday, April 24, 2018.
Hundreds of
farmers in nine talukas of Surat district are still awaiting disbursement of
subsidy amount and approval of applications for purchase of agricultural
equipment under government schemes.
In a shocking
revelation under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, over 50 per cent farmers
are yet to get the benefit of subsidy on agriculture equipment in Surat
district.
Out of the
total 16,900 applications submitted in 2017-18, over 9,500 applications are yet
to be accepted by the government. This means the farmers who had purchased
agricultural equipment are yet to get their subsidy amount sanctioned by the
state government.
A central
government scheme launched in coordination with the state government to
facilitate farmers to buy agricultural machinery by offering attractive subsidy
has many takers in the district. Under this scheme, government has enlisted 20
heads of agricultural machinery, which include tractor, harrow, rotavator, seed
drill, irrigation pump set, cultivator, land leveller, sprinkler set, rain gun,
thresher, power weeder, drum seeder etc.
The amount of
subsidy varies from Rs 4,000 to Rs 1.50 lakh depending on the type of machinery
and its original selling price.
Sayan Sugar
Factory director Darshan Naik, who sought details under RTI, said, “Majority of
farmers have done online registration for taking subsidy benefit for tractor,
pump sets, drip irrigation and cultivator. More than 50 per cent of the
applications are yet to be accepted and that the subsidy amount is not
disbursed. On one hand, the government talks about farmers’ prosperity and on
the other, it is not giving subsidy to support agriculture. I have written to
chief minister Vijay Rupani requesting him to disburse the subsidy amount to
all the farmers at the earliest.”
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