With the Haryana Government launching the risk mitigation scheme for the distressed farmers, those growing vegetables in Haryana will no more have to throw them on the roads in the event of a crash in prices.

To protect the interests and encourage vegetable farmers to resort to diversification of crops, the Haryana Government on Saturday launched the country’s first “Bhavantar Bharpayee Yojana” in which tomato, onion, potato and cauliflower have been included. A separate fund will be constituted by the State Government for the scheme.

Speaking after launching the scheme at Ganger village in Karnal, Chief Minister Manohar lal said compensation at the rate of `400 per quintal would be given for tomato and potato whereas `500 per quintal would be given for onion and cauliflower.

“The State Government would make good the difference if and when the prices in the market go below the mentioned prices,” the Chief Minister said and registered a tomato growing farmer under the Bhavantar Bharpayee e-Portal and Crop Cluster Development Programme.

He said as compared to the traditional crops, micro irrigation will be adopted for tomato, onion, potato and cauliflower crops to save water. There are many areas in the State where people are deprived of potable drinking water and tankers are used to supply drinking water. Micro irrigation can work with about 30 per cent water and helps in saving about 70 per cent.

The State has a big market like Delhi where farmers could sell their produce. The State Government has been establishing small mandis in each district to enable the farmers to sell their produce. Similarly, Asia’s biggest mandi of fruits and vegetables is being set up in Ganaur. The Government is also considering a proposal to provide the facility of cold storage for farmers’ produce, the Chief Minister said.

Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister, OP Dhankar, said with the launch of the scheme, the farmers in Haryana would not have to throw their produce on the roads. The State Government has, in the last three years, awarded compensation of about `3,035 crore to farmers, making Haryana first such State where such a huge amount was awarded as compensation. He urged the farmers to adopt the ‘Fasal Bima Yojana’.

Giving details, Dhankar said the farmers would have to get themselves registered on the Bhavantar Bharpayee website, or, in the office of Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board that he has been sowing the crop, a fact which would be confirmed by an officer appointed for this purpose. Thereafter, an SMS would be sent by the department on the farmer’s mobile number.

Chairperson, Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board, Krishna Gahlawat, and Principal Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department, Abhilaksh likhi, also spoke on the occasion.

Earlier, the CM inaugurated and laid foundation stones of nine projects worth

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