Team Herald
PANJIM: The Agriculture Department is on a mission to encourage farmers to cultivate barren khazan land through financial schemes. The move also intends to boost agriculture in the mining belt which Agriculture Director Ulhas Pai Kakode has already termed a success.
The department claims that agriculture in the iron ore rich areas is flourishing since the closure of mining operations.
As per records, the department brought 100 ha of barren khazan land at Ponda, Bardez and Pernem talukas under cultivation last year.
“Government has offered several schemes to bring barren kazan land under cultivation by offering 100 percent subsidy to procure seeds, 50 percent subsidy on bund repair and construction. There are various other schemes a farmer can apply for,” Kakode said. Data further indicates that of 1807 ha of kazan agricultural land, 1200 ha is cultivated while rest is barren.
Another senior agriculture officer stressed on the need to cultivate khazan land during the rabi and kharif seasons, and not to leave the land fallow as it increases the risk of turning into a private forest.
The existing schemes have also helped convert a large portion of mining areas into cultivable agriculture land as several families in the mining talukas switched over to farming after the closure of mining operations.
However, the government’s proposal to introduce special welfare schemes did not work out. “The earlier proposal of a separate scheme to encourage farming in the mining belt was not introduced. The locals are taking advantage of the existing schemes. Agriculture is flourishing in all talukas,” the director said.
Agriculturists had earlier shown interest in cultivating cash crops such as cashew, kokum, spices and reclamation of mining land and there had been an increase in demand for paddy seeds from farmers living along this belt.
