Government is promoting Natural Farming through Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Padhati (BPKP) introduced during 2020-21 as a sub scheme of Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) for the promotion of traditional indigenous practices including Natural Farming. The scheme mainly emphasises on exclusion of all synthetic chemical inputs and promotes on-farm biomass recycling with major stress on biomass mulching, use of cow dung-urine formulations and other plant-based preparations.

The agricultural cost of Natural Farming (NF) is reduced due to exclusion of all synthetic chemical input and its only dependence on the “on-farm bio mass recycling”. Evidences from its implementation from various parts of the country indicate that it helps in lowering the cost.

Under BPKP, financial assistance of Rs 12200/ha for 3 years is provided for cluster formation, capacity building and continuous handholding by trained personnel, certification and residue analysis. Until now, under natural farming an area of 4.09 lakh ha area has been covered and a total fund of Rs. 4980.99 lakh has been released to 8 States while an area of 5.68 lakh ha have also been approved for 3 States namely Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan & Uttar Pradesh. The Government of Andhra Pradesh is leading in terms of 1.0 lakh ha area under natural farming under BPKP. The State–wise details of funds released and area under BPKP is given at below.

 Annexure- I

 

The State –wise details of funds released and area covered under Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Padhthi (BPKP)

Sl. No.	States	Area in Ha	Amount released (Rs in lakh)
1.	Andhra Pradesh	100000	750.00
2.	Chhattisgarh	85000	1352.52
3.	Kerala	84000	1336.60
4.	Himachal Pradesh	12000	286.42
5	Jharkhand	3400	54.10
6.	Odisha	24000	381.89
7.	Madhya Pradesh	99000	787.64
8.	Tamil Nadu	2000	31.82
Total		409400	4980.99

During 2021-22 Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan & Uttar Pradesh have been approved 1.5 lakh ha, 3.8 lakh ha and 0.38 lakh ha area respectively for natural farming.

This information was given by the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Narendra Singh Tomar in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

 

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APS/JK

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