Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Farmers cultivating land in Goa’s designated mining-affected areas could receive additional financial assistance under a proposed Rs 2 crore subsidy package being worked out by the Directorate of Agriculture.
The proposal envisages Rs 1 crore each for eligible farmers in North Goa and the Kushavati area, with the assistance to be funded through the respective District Mineral Foundation Trusts.
Under the proposed mechanism, farmers with valid Krishi Cards would receive an additional 5%, 10% or 15% subsidy, depending on the particular agriculture scheme or input for which they seek assistance.
The proposed support comes at a time when Goa’s farming sector is facing added pressure following a highly deficient monsoon. The state recorded an estimated 32% rainfall shortfall during the June–September period, while North Goa experienced a deficit of around 36.8%, according to data reported by the India Meteorological Department.
The additional subsidy is intended to supplement the existing assistance provided by the Agriculture Department. Farmers currently receive 50% support for activities including crop protection, mechanisation and horticulture, while irrigation infrastructure, soil and organic management and dairy expansion attract 75% subsidy. Assistance for community farming, eco-farming and micro-irrigation can go up to 90%.
For farmers covered under the North Goa District Mineral Foundation Trust, the additional assistance will be subject to an overall ceiling of Rs 20,000 per beneficiary. Applications will be scrutinised and routed through the Agriculture Directorate, with approved payments transferred directly to farmers through DBT.
The Managing Committee has backed the need for enhanced assistance to cultivators in mining-affected areas while maintaining the Rs 20,000 ceiling. It has also directed that the proposed scheme remain available until March 2027.
