No budget for anti-hail net scheme

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Kullu, March 19

Farmers and gardeners of Kullu will not get the facility of the anti-hail net scheme this year as the Agriculture Department has not received the budget for the same.

The government gives 80 per cent subsidy to the farmers and gardeners under the anti-hail net scheme. Many farmers, who had applied for the anti-hail net in the agriculture department, will now have to apply again to the Horticulture Department. More than 500 applications from farmers are pending with the Agriculture Department in the district.

The scheme was introduced through the Horticulture Department and was later extended to the Agriculture Department as Krishi Utpadan Sanrakshan Yojana by the previous BJP government in the state.

Hailstorm is one of the reasons behind substantial economic loss to the farmers as it damages the standing vegetable crops like peas, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, tomato, capsicum, etc, and other exotic vegetable crops, both qualitatively and quantitatively.

The farmers use the anti-hail nets to protect apple, persimmon, plum, pears and other fruit-bearing trees, besides to save other vegetable produce. The anti-hail net also prevents birds from damaging fruits and vegetables.

The non-provision of the budget for the scheme in the Agriculture Department has left the farmers concerned. The farmers said the government should strive to drive sustainability, efficiency and resilience in food production and such farmer friendly schemes should be continued with departments related to food production.

They added that the government should explore the application of Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML), Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and other cutting-edge technologies across the entire value chain of agriculture — from production to consumption, including post-harvest management and marketing.

They said the growing population and climate change is posing challenges to traditional farming practices and leveraging technology becomes imperative for sustainable food production.

Kullu Agriculture Department Deputy Director Sushil Sharma said the department had not received any official communication regarding the anti-hail net scheme. Neither they had received the budget for the scheme for this year so far, he added.