Team Herald
CANACONA: The agricultural department in a circular issued recently has enhanced subsidy on mini-tillers and weed cutters from present 50 and 75 % respectively to 90% from coming financial year.
This measure has been implemented after Herald had highlighted the plight of poor farmers belonging to ST communities while purchasing these equipments.
Herald, in one of its editions last year, had carried a report on the effects of decreased subsidy on poor farmers from Goa specifically coming for Schedule Tribes, as they were not in a position to pay 50% margin money over and above the GST component.
The report had inferred that “the economically weaker section still depend on farming as the main occupation and have been since then facing hardships to upgrade their farming implements after agriculture department reduced assistance on purchase of agricultural machinery from 90% to 50% flat.”
Taking cognisance of the news item, Canacona MLA had written a letter to the concerned authorities with a request to revert the scheme to its original form for farmers belonging to ST communities.
Appreciating laudable efforts of the authorities Canacona MLA Isidore Fernandes said that he was grateful to agricultural minister Vijay Sardesai, tribal welfare minister Govind Gaude, Director of agriculture Madhav Kelkar and director of tribal welfare Venanacio Furtado for their role in enhancing the subsidy.
