Madhya Pradesh hopes rest on Central schemes for farmers

Fearing grave power shortage during the rabi season this year, the Madhya Pradesh government is now riding on Centre-sponsored schemes — Integrated Scheme of Oilseeds, Pulses, Oil and Maize (ISOPOM) and National Food Safety Mission — to offer seed subsidies to farmers.

As a result, ministers of the state are now cajoling farmers to skip high-irrigated varieties and prefer low-irrigated high-quality varieties of rabi crops. The demand-supply gap in power, owing to scanty rainfall, is likely to be in 1,000 Mw to 1,500 Mw range this rabi season. The state’s rabi target has been fixed at 8.5 million hectares this year.

Cooperative Minister Gauri Shankar Bisen asked the farmers to skip summer paddy (also known as rabi paddy).

“Farmers should sow high-output low-irrigated varieties and skip high-irrigated varieties of paddy,” a statement issued here quoting him said.

Though seeds are yet to reach the cooperative societies the only channel of seed distribution with the government, a subsidy of Rs 700 per quintal is offered on high-grade like sharbati and short variety of wheat seed.

The dollar gram (Kabuli chana) seeds will be available at Rs 1,400 per quintal against its normal price of Rs 2,725 per quintal.

Other rabi crop seeds will also be offered at subsidised rates; peas at Rs 1,030 (per quintal) against Rs 2,010, red lentil (masoor) seed at Rs 2,150 against market price of Rs 4,150, mustard at Rs 1,615 per quintal (Rs 3,150 per quintal), linseed at Rs 1,400 (Rs 1,825) and barley (Jau) at Rs 800 (Rs 1,500).

The oilseeds are also offered at Rs 1,000 per quintal subsidy. Under ISOPOM, the Centre has asked the states to offer Rs 2,000 per quintal for 50 per cent of the input cost on seed to farmers, and Rs 700 per quintal under national food safety mission.

The subsidy offer is capped at 2 hectare for pulses and oilseed and 5 hectare for wheat and gram. “The seeds will be distributed through cooperatives but have not reached yet,” a source in cooperative committee from Raisen district told Business Standard.