Sure, here is an article on Bhavantar Yojna:
Bhavantar Yojna: A Government Initiative to Support Farmers
The agricultural sector is the backbone of the Indian economy, with nearly 60 percent of the Indian population dependent on it for their livelihood. However, the agriculture sector faces many challenges, including unpredictable weather, high input costs, low productivity, and fluctuating prices.
In recent years, the government has taken several initiatives to support farmers and increase agricultural productivity. One such initiative is the Bhavantar Yojna.
What is Bhavantar Yojna?
Launched in 2017 by the Madhya Pradesh government, Bhavantar Yojna is a price support scheme for farmers. The scheme aims to help farmers get a minimum guaranteed price for their crops, regardless of the market fluctuations.
Under the scheme, the government pays the difference between the minimum support price (MSP) and the selling price of the crops. This means that if the market price of crops is lower than the MSP, the government will compensate farmers for the difference.
The scheme covers 13 crops, including wheat, soybean, urad, moong, arhar, gram, groundnut, sesame, maize, mustard, safflower, sunflower, and cotton.
How does it work?
Farmers who want to benefit from the Bhavantar Yojna need to register for the scheme. The registration for the scheme takes place before the crop sowing season.
Once the farmer has registered, they need to inform the government of the quantity of crops they have sown, and the government then issues a Bhavantar card. The Bhavantar card contains the details of the crops sown and the area under cultivation.
After the harvest, farmers need to sell their crops in the mandi (market) and get the sale slip. The government then verifies the sale slip and the Bhavantar card and pays the difference between the MSP and the selling price directly into the farmer’s bank accounts.
Benefits of Bhavantar Yojna
The Bhavantar Yojna has several benefits for farmers. One of the significant benefits of the scheme is that it assures farmers of minimum income for their crops. The scheme prevents exploitation of farmers at the hands of middlemen and unscrupulous traders.
Moreover, the scheme also encourages farmers to produce crops that are more profitable and, thus, increase their income. The scheme also provides farmers with an incentive to adopt modern agricultural techniques and technologies.
Conclusion
The Bhavantar Yojna is an excellent initiative by the Madhya Pradesh government to support farmers and promote agriculture in the state. The scheme ensures that farmers get a minimum guaranteed price for their crops, regardless of market fluctuations.
The scheme has been successful in addressing the price risk faced by farmers and has also encouraged farmers to opt for high-value crops. The scheme is a model for other states to follow, and steps should be taken to make the scheme more farmer-friendly and accessible, especially for the small and marginal farmers.