Haryana Chief Minister, Manohar Lal Khattar, on Monday, said the state government is determined to increase the income of farmers and new steps are being taken for this.

After inaugurating Integrated Pack House cum Crop Cluster Centre at Taraori in Karnal district today, the CM said the benefits of schemes related to farmers are now being sent directly to their bank accounts. For the prosperity of the farmers, Kisan Samridhi Shivir is being organised by the agriculture and allied departments, in which agriculture, horticulture, fisheries and animal husbandry departments are participating, he said.

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Khattar said that the integrated packhouse cum crop cluster centre at Taraori will help in storing tomatoes, bitter gourd, ghee and okra and other vegetables produced by the farmers for a long time, which will give good profits to the farmers.

The CM said this packhouse has facilities for washing, sorting, cleaning, packing and cold storage of vegetables so that vegetables can be kept safe for a long time. This will increase the income of the farmers as well as the labourers working in the fields. With the construction of this packhouse of Taraori, a group of 272 farmers (Farmer Product Organisation) will help in the storage of vegetables grown in about 600-700 acres.

The CM said this pack house would play an important role in promoting agricultural diversification and help in achieving the aim of the Haryana government of doubling the income of the farmers.  This is the seventh pack house of the state, for which the government has given a loan of Rs 5.50 crore, on which a subsidy of about Rs Four Crore will be given.

The CM said to encourage small farmers, the Haryana government is giving such loans, on which heavy subsidy is provided. He said 50 more pack houses and crop cluster centres would be established in the state, which would increase the income of the farmers. To encourage the farmers of the state to make such pack houses, 70 to 80 per cent subsidy is given, for strengthening them financially, he added.’

Khattar called upon the farmers to cultivate other crops like fruits, flowers, vegetables instead of paddy. He said the government is also giving an incentive amount of Rs. 7,000 to the farmers who give up paddy cultivation and sow other crops.