Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party government in Uttar Pradesh is readying to fulfill yet another pre-poll promise of reviving Bhoomi Sena Yojana for reclamation of uncultivable land in the state.
The scheme had initially been launched during the erstwhile regimes of Mulayam Singh Yadav. However, it was discontinued during the previous Mayawati rule.
With SP government in power, chief minister Akhilesh Yadav is keen on launching the scheme with the target of reclaiming 1,26,000 hectares of barren, arid, sodic and wetlands, and making them arable.
In the backdrop of rising pressure on agricultural land due to increase in population and commensurate rise in residential, industrial and commercial activities in the state, the scheme is being accorded priority by the government.
Noted socialist leader Dr Ram Manohar Lohia had envisioned such a scheme, which finally fructified in August 1990 during Mulayam rule. During later regimes in 2005-06 and 2006-07, over 53,200 hectares and 1,55,000 hectares of uncultivable land respectively was treated.
The treated and reclaimed land is distributed amongst eligible beneficiaries and the government has already made a budgetary provision of over Rs 43 crore for this purpose during 2012-13.
Besides, the current regime had also decided to expand the scope of the scheme and is mulling utilizing Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) funds in it.
Akhilesh had already directed for reclaiming 1,000 hectares of wetlands and starting social forestry on 10,000 hectares.
Apart from land treatment, now the scheme includes renovation of wetlands, augmenting agricultural production and rural employment generation.
Troubled small and marginal farmers and landless agricultural labourers would be eligible to become Bhoomi Sainiks. In 2007-08, total cropped area in UP stood at about 25 million hectares.
