Agri output on the rise in Chhattisgarh

Improvement in agriculture and farming have been top priorities of the Chhattisgarh government. For that, interest free loan facility is being provided to farmers from cooperative society for agricultural purposes. Annually, free electricity of 6,000 units are being provided for irrigation pumps up to three horse power and 7,500 units for irrigation pumps up to five horse power under the Krishak Jivan Jyoti Scheme.

There is a transparent computerised arrangement for purchasing rice under the support value policy. For electrification of irrigation pumps, a grant of Rs 75,000 per pump is being given to farmers for line expansion. In case more funds are required, considering such pumps as irremediable, there is a provision for providing an additional amount from the Current and Past Tribal Development Authority, Scheduled Caste and Rural Development Authority and Backward class Area Development Authority.

There were about 94,000 electrified irrigation pumps in the state in 2003, which, on increase till 2015-16, has reached about 3,70,000.

There are 13,66,302 farmers in Chhattisgarh included in the Prime Minister’s Crop Insurance Scheme. This insurance is for the current monsoon crop season. In all, 12,09,357 debtors and 1,56,945 disobliged farmers are included in it.

The Agricultural Science Center of Raipur district has started from 12 September 2016. It has been inaugurated at the premises of the Indira Gandhi Agricultural University. Along with this, the number of Agricultural Science Centers in the state has reached 20. The largest agricultural store house of the country has also been established at the premises of the Agricultural University on 12 September itself. Along with testing of the farm soil of over 32 lakh farmers of the state, the issuing of soil health card is in progress. Chhattisgarh has been rewarded by the Central government with the prestigious Krishi Karman award four times. The Krishi Karman award has been given in 2010-11, 201213 and 2013-14 for the highest rice production and in 2014-15 for the production of pulses as well as for in- creased productivity. While the production of rice in 10 years between 2003-04 to 2013-14 has increased just 3% at the national level, this growth was recorded at 39% in Chhattisgarh. Organic farming is also being promoted in the state. Programmes for organic farming are being organised in cluster by selecting individual development sectors in all 27 districts since 2015-16. Dantewada district of the state has emerged as a model for organic farming. In the region, along with aromatic rice varieties such as Dubraj, Badshah, Bhog, Basmati, Jiraful and Jwaful, the farming of Kudo-Kutki Ragi, Arhar, Urad, Moong and Ramtil are also being promoted for the purpose of organic farming. Prime Minister’s Agricultural Irrigation Scheme: Three irrigation projects of the state have been accepted. The National Hydrology Project in Chhattisgarh, at an expenditure of about Rs 80 crore, has been accepted. Compensation of Rs 658 crore has been provided to drought- affected farmers in 2015 under the Prime Minister’s Crop Insurance Scheme. The telecom sector has witnessed a quantum leap in Chhattisgarh during 2000 and 2016. Mobile and landline connections put together was 2,80,000 in 2000, while it is 1,68,57,480 in 2016. Landline connections, which were 2,80,000 in 2000, are 1,92,867 now and mobile connections which were almost negligible then, has grown upto 1,66,64,613 in 2016. The tele-density in Chhattisgarh is 65.92, whereas the national average is 80.44. The BSNL has a target of connecting the 2,115 village panchayats under the “National Optic Fibre Network (NOFN) project till December 2016. There is a target of connecting 1,894 other village panchayats under this project till March 2017. In all, 146 new mobile towers will be established in Bastar and Naxal-affected areas. The Chhattisgarh government has started the “Bastar Net” project for seven districts of the main tribal region of Bastar division.

In all, 832-km long “op- Comparison of the railway network in Chhattisgarh in 2000 and 2016 shows the extent of progress made by the state. While in 2000, total railway lines were 1,187 km, so far in 2016, it is 1,744 km, and work is still in progress. In 150 years of Indian railway history, only 1,187 km of railway lines could be laid in Chhattisgarh till 2000.

The Chhattisgarh government, through special initiative and strategic partnership with public sector units, has formulated a work plan to develop the railway network in the zones having no railway facilities. The work for 311 km of railway lines in the eastern and eastern-western zone of the state, has started. Work In 12 years, 59,136 km of roads have been constructed and elevated. In all, 852 large, 337 medium bridges and 23,206 small bridges have been constructed. Fifteen railway overbridges and under-bridges have been constructed. Work of construction of 15 by-pass-