Farmers await incentives for water conservation, crop diversification
Farmers who applied for government incentives under various agricultural schemes aimed at conserving water, promoting crop diversification and protecting the environment are still waiting for their payments. Despite assurances, the delayed disbursement has caused frustration among farmers who had adopted sustainable farming practices under these schemes last year.
Key issues farmers face
Pending payments: Farmers have not received last year's incentives for Direct Seeded Rice, Meri Pani Meri Virasat and Crop Residue Management schemes
Delayed approvals: Incentive disbursement stuck at headquarters level
Farmers’ reluctance: Lack of timely compensation reduces interest in sustainable farming practices
Under the Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) scheme, farmers get Rs 4,000 per acre for using the DSR technique, which requires less water. Similarly, under the Meri Pani Meri Virasat (MPMV) scheme, they are entitled to Rs 7,000 per acre for shifting away from water-intensive paddy to other crops. Additionally, the Crop Residue Management (CRM) scheme offers an incentive of Rs 1,000 per acre to promote in situ and ex situ management of paddy stubble instead of burning it. However, none of these payments have been released yet.
Om Prakash, a farmer who applied for the DSR incentive on seven acres of land, said, "I had applied for the incentive, but I am yet to receive any payment. If the government wants us to adopt these schemes, it should ensure timely release of incentives and compensation."
As per data, over 15,350 farmers in Ambala applied for the CRM scheme, covering more than 1.18 lakh acres. For DSR adoption, 1,060 farmers applied, covering approximately 6,100 acres.
An agriculture department official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed the delay and said, "The incentives for CRM, DSR, and MPMV are yet to be released. The MPMV scheme is handled at the headquarters level, and farmers have been approaching district and block-level offices for updates. The delay is also a concern for officials, as field staff face difficulties in convincing farmers to adopt these schemes without timely payments."
Deputy Director Agriculture (DDA) Ambala Jaswinder Saini, said, "The verified data has been sent to the headquarters and the incentives are expected to be released soon. We continue to encourage farmers to adopt these schemes as they benefit both agriculture and the environment."
BKU (Charuni) spokesperson Rakesh Bains criticised the government for its failure to release payments while simultaneously increasing incentive amounts in the recent Budget.
"The government has announced an increase in incentives — Rs 1,200 per acre for CRM, Rs 4,500 per acre for DSR, and Rs 8,000 per acre for MPMV. However, last year’s incentives are yet to be paid. The increase is insufficient and the delay discourages farmers from adopting these schemes. If the government wants to promote crop diversification and stop stubble burning, it must increase incentives further and ensure timely disbursement."
