Jharkhand

• 13 Jun 2023

Godhan Nyay Yojana

Why in News?

On June 12, 2023, Jharkhand's Agriculture Minister Badal Patralekh inaugurated the 'Godhan Nyay Yojana' in the auditorium of the Animal Husbandry Department at Hesag. About 10 thousand farmers will benefit in the first phase of the scheme.

Key Points:

• Agriculture Minister Badal Patralekh said that Godhan Nyaya Yojana is being started as a pilot project in five districts of the state. After reviewing the success of this project, a plan will be made to run it in the entire state.
• The objective of this scheme is to reduce the dependence of farmers on chemical fertilizers and to increase the income of farmers by preparing vermicompost using cow dung available in Jharkhand.
• It is known that cow dung plays an important role in the ecosystem of agriculture, because it increases the organic content of the soil by increasing the water holding capacity of the soil. An effective management is needed to effectively use cow dung in agricultural works, which will be beneficial for the farmers.
• This is a pilot project to convert cow dung produced in the entire state into vermicompost by purchasing it from cow herders and making it available to farmers at a subsidized rate. At present, the project is being started from one district of each division.
• The agriculture minister said that the government is preparing to set up an agency, a center so that more & more organic foods are used in the state and the products of the state are recognized as organic.
• A budget provision of Rs 10 crore has been made for vermi compost. If it is successful, a plan of Rs 100 crore will also be made. Under this scheme, farmers of the state will be able to get vermicompost at Rs.8 per kg in their area only. Along with this, the government will take cow dung at Rs. 2 per kg from the cowherds and after processing it will make it available to the farmers in the form of vermicompost.
• Mahalinga Shivaji, CEO of Mahalinga Shivaji Organic Farming Authority of Jharkhand, said that with this scheme, 504 lakh metric tonnes of cow dung can be converted into nitrogen and the state can save Rs 22,000 crore by this conversion.
• According to the economic survey of the year 2019, there are 12.57 million cattle in the state. As an estimate, 504 lakh tonnes of cow dung is emitted every year by the cattle.
• Goal of Godhan Nyaya Yojana: Increase in the income of animal herders, restriction on livestock movement & open grazing, promotion of use of organic fertilizers & reducing the use of chemical fertilizers, availability of organic fertilizers at the local level, strengthening of local self-help groups/employment opportunities for unemployed youths/gaushalas, help in increasing the fertility of the land and availability of chemical fertilizers.