Second edition of ‘Kisan Pathshalas’ to begin from June 21

LUCKNOW: The Yogi Adityanath government will hold special summer classes for state’s farmers under second edition of the Million Farmers’ Schools (Kisan Pathshalas) to teach them new and advanced farm technologies as part of its ambitious plan aimed at doubling their income by 2022.

The classes will begin at identified schools in two modules from June 21 with various department officials imparting lessons to at least 10 lakh farmers all over the state.

Agriculture production commissioner RP Singh has circulated a letter in their regard to various officials asking them to made required arrangements to hold ‘kisan pathshalas’ for farmers.

“After the success of the first edition of the Million Farmers’ Schools, the government has decided to launch the second edition from June 21,” additional director, agriculture, Rajesh Kumar Gupta said. The novel initiative, he claimed, was helping in raising awareness among farmers about the latest agriculture techniques and their implementation.

As per the APC’s letter, under the first module, special classes will be held from 9 am to 11 am at a nearby primary or junior high schools from June 21 to 23. Classes under the second module will be held from June 25 to 27. Farmers will also be informed about various welfare schemes being run for them by the Central and the state governments.

“Based on the feedback and considering the hot weather, it has been decided to reduce the module period from five to three days but the duration of classes has been increased from one hour to two hours,” the APC says in the letter asking officials to nominate one nodal officer each for the special classes.

The agriculture department has been asked to ensure participation of people’s representation in the ‘kisan pathshalas’ which will be inaugurated by local MPs and MLAs in the presence of village pradhans.

‘Kisan pathshalas’ were held for the first time in December 2017 with 10 lakh farmers attending 15,000 such classes. The Central government is working on various fronts to double farmers’ income by the year 2022.

UP is among the states where farmers have low income. As per the sample survey office (NSSO) data cited by the Niti Ayog in a policy paper on how to double farmers’ income, 23.2% of the total farm households in UP had income below the poverty line in 2011-12. This is the fifth lowest after Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar and MP and only a little above the national average of 22.5%.