The local administration in Barpak Sulikot Rural Municipality of Gorkha has seen a rise in the number of farmers utilizing their barren lands for good income by farming cash crops- thanks to the a new measure put in place by the local level.
Barpak Sulikot Rural Municipality has been providing grant to the farmers as a motivational allowance to do farming their barren lands.
A procedure themed 'Procedure for use of barren land 2022' was introduced and implemented since fiscal year 2077/78 BS to motivate the farmers to not desert cultivable land. The local farmers are enthused and further motivated not to keep their arable land barren, according to Tulasi Ram Acharya, chief administrative officer of the rural municipality.
He explained, "For those opting vegetables and other crops are provided up to Rs 3,000 per ropani while those cultivating herbs and spices would get up to Rs 2500 per ropani and those farming fruits receive up to Rs 2,000 per ropani as grant."
Interestingly, the procedure has a provision of punishment for those farmers not disclosing the information about their barren land to the local government, shared Acharya, adding that such farmers are fined Rs 200 per ropani.
A total of 938 ropani of barren land have used for farming since the implementation of this scheme, shared Bishnu Prasad Bhatt, Chairperson of Barpak Sulikot Rural Municipality.
Cultivation culture was gradually decreasing in the village lately while the import of agricultural products was on the rise. In this backdrop, the local administration placed the policy to boost domestic production and make farmers self-reliant, said Chairperson Bhatta.
Mohan Dhakal, one of the beneficiaries of the grant, gushed, "This scheme has helped instill the concept that farmers like me could be self-reliant through agriculture rather than seeking greener pastures."
Agricultural production has spiked in the rural municipality following the implementation of this scheme, said farmer Dhakal.
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