Chhattisgarh's new Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana, which will be launched on Thursday, will benefit 19 lakh farmers and help increase the area under cultivation, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said.
He said the aim of the scheme is to help farmers earn more and bring more area under cultivation from the current 20 per cent in the state.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will be part of the joint launch of the scheme on May 21 to mark the death anniversary of the former prime minister, Baghel said.
"The state is launching the new Rajiv Gandhi Nyay Scheme for farmers to help them earn more money of their produce and to help bring more area under cultivation. The scheme will be launched from tomorrow," Baghel told PTI.
He said around 19 lakh farmers will benefit from the "first-of-its-kind scheme" that will help provide Rs 10,000 per acre to paddy farmers as subsidy. Those cultivating sugarcane will get Rs 93 per quintal and that will come to nearly Rs 13,000 per acre.
The chief minister said even though the state has 50 inches of rainfall, the cultivated land area is only 20 per cent, with 43 per cent being forest land which has only 0 to 5 per cent farming.
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"The cost of inputs for farmers is also high and Chhattisgarh has only one crop. To encourage farmers grow more crops and earn a better living, the state has evolved this scheme," he said.
Baghel said the state is also seeking to improve the irrigation facilities.
He said a Government of India survey has revealed that the state has 40 per cent people still below the poverty line, 41.7 per cent women anaemic and 37.5 per cent children malnourished.
Under the scheme, a sum of Rs 5,700 crore will be transferred directly to the accounts of 19 lakh farmers of the state in four instalments.
Under this scheme, 18,34,834 farmers will be provided Rs 1,500 crore as first instalment for paddy crop.
Similarly, for sugarcane crop, payment of FRP amount of Rs 261 per quintal and incentive and input support, amounting to Rs 93.75 per quintal, i.e. maximum Rs 355 per quintal, will be made depending on the quantity of sugarcane purchased by the cooperative mill in the crushing year 2019-20.
Under this scheme, 34,637 farmers of the state will get Rs 73 crore 55 lakh in four instalments and the first instalment of this amount, Rs 18,43 crore will be transferred on May 21.