The Chhattisgarh government has continued its support for farmers amid the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic by releasing financial grants which will aid them in cultivation in these trying times.

Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel on Friday transferred the first instalment of Rs 1,500 crore as input subsidy to 22 lakh farmers for the 2020-21 kharif season under the state government’s Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana.

The chief minister also transferred Rs 7.17 crore directly to the accounts of villagers and cattle-rearers as payment for cow dung procured from March 15 to May 15 this year under the multi-pronged Godhan Nyay Yojana of the state government.

Besides this, Baghel also transferred Rs 3.6 crore to gauthan samitis and women self-help groups.

Under the Godhan Nyaya Yojana, which was launched on July 20, 2020, on the occasion of Hareli Parva, a local festival, a total of Rs 88.15 crore has been paid so far to the state’s cattle farmers and villagers to buy cow dung which is converted to vermicompost and fertilisers.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi sent their congratulatory messages for the disbursal function held to mark the death anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Sonia said that while the central government has been implementing anti-farmer policies, the Congress government in Chhattisgarh is working for the interest of peasants.

“The Chhattisgarh government is constantly working to strengthen the economic condition of farmers and bring prosperity in their lives. Rajiv Gandhi always kept the common people in his mind and the Chhattisgarh government has taken positive steps and paid a true tribute to Rajiv Gandhi,” Sonia said in a message.

“Chhattisgarh government is doing an excellent work and transfer of input subsidy in the bank accounts of farmers during the current tough time indicates the Baghel government’s commitment towards fulfilling the promises made at the time of elections. At a time, when the Centre is continuing with the Central Vista project (the revamp of the central administrative area in New Delhi), the Chhattisgarh government has halted all major construction projects in the state and utilised the money for helping farmers,” Rahul said in a message.

The Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana was launched by the Chhattisgarh government on May 21 last year to mark the former Prime Minister’s death anniversary with an aim to encourage crop productivity in the state.

Under this scheme, the state government has transferred Rs 5,628 crore to the bank accounts of about 19 lakh farmers (registered in the kharif season of 2019-20) in four instalments as agricultural input subsidy.

Baghel also took several important decisions in the interest of farmers at a meeting held on May 19.

The input subsidy on the paddy procured from farmers in the kharif season of 2020-21 will be at the rate of Rs 9,000 per acre.

The state government has also decided to provide input subsidy of Rs 10,000 per acre instead of Rs 9,000 per acre to the farmers who have sold paddy at minimum support price in 2020-21, if they are cultivating kodo kutki (millets), sugarcane, pigeon pea, maize, soyabean, pulses, oilseeds, aromatic paddy, fortified paddy or plant trees in their paddy fields. Farmers utilising their paddy fields for plantation will be provided this grant for three years.

The state government has taken another important decision to provide input subsidy at the rate of Rs 9,000 per acre per year to the producers of all major kharif crops such as maize, soyabean, sugarcane, kodo kutki and arhar, along with paddy, from the kharif season of 2021-22.

The state government has also fixed the minimum support price of kodo kutki at Rs 3,000 per quintal.