Govt rejects 47% false claims of dhaincha sowing by farmers
The Haryana Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department has revealed that nearly 47 per cent of the claims of farmers for sowing dhaincha crop have turned out to be false as 12,788 acres, out of total 26,942 acres, were found rejected in the verification process.
The latest verification report released by the department indicated that a significant number of farmers across the state falsely staked their claim for incentives meant for promoting the cultivation of dhaincha, which is a green manure crop that supports sustainable agriculture.
The government provides Rs 2,000 per acre as a financial incentive for sowing this two-month crop, which enriches soil fertility and reduces dependency on chemical fertilisers. However, the data suggests that many farmers attempted to benefit from the scheme without actually cultivating the crop.
The report shows that the targeted cumulative area of the crop was 28,171 acres. However, the farmers from across the state submitted 26,942 acres under the dhaincha crop to the department. But during the verification survey, only 14,184 acres were accepted as genuinely sown with dhaincha, while a staggering 12,788 acres were rejected after field verification.
The report indicated that the districts such as Sonepat (2,208), Mewat (2,539) and Jind (1,510) are among the worst performers in terms of fraudulent claims. The Agriculture Department verified a total of 26,942 acres through field inspections and satellite monitoring covering 1,457 out of 1,550 targeted villages with the help of 1,181 deployed personnel.
Officials stated that the high volume of rejections indicated widespread misuse of the scheme. “It seems that many farmers filed for the subsidy without sowing the crop aiming to get financial benefit through falsified claims,” said Dr Rajbir Singh, Deputy Director of Agriculture Department.
The Agriculture Department stated that the department was encouraging the cultivation of dhaincha as a green manuring crop by offering seeds to the farmers at 80 per cent subsidised rates this year in a move to enhance soil health and promote sustainable farming practices. The experts said dhaincha was widely regarded as the most effective green manure plant. “Green manuring involves growing leguminous crops and ploughing these back into the soil at the right stage of growth, around five to six weeks after sowing. The practice is particularly suitable in crop rotation systems where there is a two-month interval between the harvest of one crop and the sowing of the next,” said Dr Singh.
The Agriculture Department experts said the use of green manure improved soil structure, enhanced water retention and reduced erosion. Besides, it curbed weed growth during the off-season and aided in reclaiming alkaline soils, he added.
An official note of the Agriculture Department aiming to promote the dhaincha crop stated that incorporation of dhaincha into the soil enriched it with organic matter, promoted microbial activity and transferred nutrients from the deeper layers to the upper layers of the soil. Dhaincha also fixes atmospheric nitrogen—about two-thirds from the air and the rest from the soil—benefiting the following crop. “It increases the availability of essential nutrients such as phosphorus (P2O5), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and iron (Fe). Green manuring with dhaincha also contributes to the control of root knot nematodes, a common soil pest. With these benefits, the department aims to raise awareness and encourage widespread adoption of dhaincha cultivation to build healthier soils and more resilient farming systems,” the note concluded.
Haryana Tribune