TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Agricultural activity in the lands left barren due to uncontrolled mining activity in the iron ore rich belt of the State is showing an upward trend.
The agriculture department, which has pushed its pro-farmer schemes in this belt, says that the interest evinced by the locals is encouraging. The forthcoming kharif season is likely to show the much awaited results in the form of increased production in paddy and horticulture crop, said Director of Agriculture Prajapati Toofani.
The talukas of Sanguem, Dharbandora and Bicholim are on the radar of the agriculture department, which has focused its special attention towards these erstwhile agrarian areas which has now turned into barren land due to unregulated mining.
The agriculture department is looking to encourage jobless local residents in these areas to take up agriculture. The slew of subsidies offered by the department for farmers cover this belt also and Toofani said the results “have already started showing”. “The monthly updates by respective zonal agricultural officers reveal that paddy cultivation among former mining-employees is increasing,” he added.
“The schemes are for all the farmers. There is direct subsidy of 50 per cent on buying seeds. Similarly, 50 per cent subsidy on buying a tractor and 75 per cent subsidy on purchase of insecticides,” he added.
Toofani said that at present the area covered under paddy is 28,380 hectares. Figures for the months of June-September 2013 show that Bicholim scores poor in Paddy High Yielding Varieties for the reason that while 1,000 hectares is targeted for cultivation, only 370 hectares is utilized.
At Sankhali out of 650 hectares targeted, only 300 hectares are used while in Ponda, out of 2,300 hectares targeted, 1,250 hectares are used for cultivation. An impressive result is at Sanguem where the entire 450 hectares target area is covered under cultivation and Valpoi as well where the entire 500 hectares is covered.
Tiswadi has also shown good results 4,100 hectares being used out of the4,650 hectares targeted and at Dharbandora out of 800 hectares, 700 are being used.
