‘Roka-chheka’ to save crop, boost income, nourish livestock

RAIPUR: State Government has decided to effectively implement ‘Roka-chheka' technique in all the villages with the objective to revive traditional agricultural methods of Chhattisgarh and to strengthen rural economy. State Government has taken this step to make cowsheds under Suraaji Gaon Yojana more useful and to prevent the crop damage due to open grazing of stray cattle. ‘Roka-chheka' is one of the popular traditional agricultural methods of Chhattisgarh, which State Government has decided to make more organized and effective.

During monsoon, after completion of sowing process in farms of villages, open grazing of cattle is stopped. As many villages do not have cowshed facility, cattle owners face major difficulties during this period of ban on grazing. But now to solve this problem, State Government is building 5000 cowsheds across the state under Suraaji Gaon Yojana. Construction of 2200 cowsheds been already been completed and construction of 2800 cowsheds is in progress. Government has appealed all the Sarpanchs to keep all the cattle in cowsheds during the period of ban on open grazing, so as to ensure proper nourishment of cattle and to save crops from damage. Recently, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had issued a special message for farmers saying that it is important to ensure protection of crops right from sprouting stage of seeds. This will boost agricultural yield and also the income of farmers. In last one and a half year, Chief Minister Baghel is consistently emphasizing on the need to bring villages in the center of economy. To realize this vision, Suraaji Gaon Yojana has been started to revive four major factors of rural economyNarva, Garva, Ghurva, Bari.

One of the objectives of the cowshed construction under Garva Programme is to produce organic fertiliser on a large scale, so as to enhance fertility of the land and to reduce input cost of agriculture.