The Gujarat government has decided to enhance financial aid for its farm wire fencing scheme to assist more farmers in safeguarding their crops from stray cattle and wild animals before the monsoon. Under the revised scheme, farmers will now receive Rs 300 per running meter or 50% of the actual expenses incurred, whichever is lower. This decision was made during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.
State Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani announced that the assistance under the barbed wire fencing scheme has been raised from Rs 200 to Rs 300 per running meter. The move aims to alleviate the financial burden on farmers due to increased market prices of materials and labor costs. Additionally, the government has reduced the minimum land requirement for eligibility under the scheme from two hectares to one hectare.
Vaghani highlighted that smaller farmers often missed out on benefits as maintaining a two-hectare cluster was challenging if any farmer in the group dissented. To address this, the government lowered the cluster size requirement to one hectare. The minister disclosed that over 1 lakh applications have been received through the i-Khedut Portal for the scheme, with approvals planned in phases before the monsoon.
The state government has allocated Rs 240 crore for the scheme to ensure farmers can complete fencing work before the onset of agricultural activities. Vaghani assured that additional funds would be arranged if needed and that the application portal would be reopened if necessary to maximize farmer participation. This move is aimed at providing economic protection to farmers across Gujarat.
