Govt to provide subsidized fertilizers, pesticides & seeds to farmers

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMarch 10, 2025

Minister in-charge Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Ampareen Lyngdoh on Monday informed that there are ongoing and upcoming government schemes to provide subsidized fertilizers, pesticides, and seeds to the farmers in West Garo Hills District. 

Replying in the Assembly, Lyngdoh said that the current availability of subsidized agricultural inputs in the district are high yielding variety & hybrid of paddy & maize seeds, sprayers, integrated pest management kits, farmers can avail these subsidised inputs through field functionaries of the department. 

She also informed that the government is working on improving irrigation facilities to support farmers, especially during dry spells.

The department has provided 21 units of sprinkler and 140 pump sets in 7 blocks of West Garo Hills to 140 farmers under per drop mre crop (PDMC scheme, she added.

Under the FOCUS scheme, Lyngdoh said that farmers who belong to a producer group receive financial assistance of Rs 5000 per farmer to support agricultural activities and enhance productivity. 

The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana (PM-KISAN) provides financial benefits of Rs 6000 per year to land holding farmers, transferred in 3 equal installments, she said adding that Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)  provide crop insurance to farmers covering non preventable natural disasters. The state government also paid the Farmers’ share of the premium to ease the burden of the farmers. 

In regards to the Kisan Credit Card (KCC), the minister said that the interest subvention scheme on KCC provides financial security to standard borrowers from farmer borrowers (Standard borrower: those who reply the loan on time). These farmers also received 4% interest subvention from the state government apart from the 3 % received frm the Government of India.

She further informed that the District Agriculture Office provides subsidized organic manure, bio fertilizers, bio pesticides and capacity building of farmers for organic farming. 

District Horticulture Office implements mission organic value chain development for North Eastern region (MOVCD-NER) scheme and Meghalaya Organic Mission in West Garo Hills under which 10 farmer producer organizations (FPOs) take up organic certification of 4,500 hectares (under process) of agricultural land, she added.