10 hours ago
Maharashtra approves Rs 2 crore for farmers' foreign study tours
Mumbai: The state govt has approved Rs 2 crore for organising foreign study tours for farmers in the state this year. Last year, the state govt approved Rs 1.4 crore for 120 farmers and six officials for foreign tours to study modern agriculture.
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"Administrative approval is being given to the programme of Rs 2 crore budgeted for implementing the scheme 'study tours of farmers of the state abroad' in the year 2025-26. The said scheme should be implemented as per the provisions prescribed by the govt and accordingly, guidelines should be issued by the commissioner (agriculture) for the implementation of the said scheme," a govt resolution (GR) stated.
"The scheme was started to make the farmers of the state aware of the developed and modern technologies of various advanced countries, as well as to make them aware of the export of agricultural products/marketing of agricultural products and market demand, agricultural product processing, and the latest technologies used in those countries and to help the farmers of the state use them on their farms/farming.
The visits also provide information about agricultural technologies and related matters developed by various countries and enhance the knowledge and capacity of the farmers through direct discussions with the farmers of those countries, as well as through field visits, visits to relevant institutions.
The scheme has been running since 2004-2005," said an official from the agriculture department.
Officials added that the detailed itinerary, including the country farmers will visit, will be finalised soon.
Last year, NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar slammed the agriculture department for the meagre funds for sending farmers abroad. Rohit said Rs 1.88 crore was provided by the state govt for a three-day visit to Taiwan where only five officials travelled, but the govt is spending only Rs 1.4 crore to send 120 farmers abroad. "That means only Rs 1.2 lakh is spent for each farmer. Even now, Rs 34 crore has been allocated for the Davos tour (to attend World Economic Forum), where 70 people are going with the chief minister.
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Does this mean that this govt is not for the general public but for a select few? Is it 'World Economic Forum' or 'World Expenditure Conference'? It is understood that 70 people are going on this tour with the CM. Let's talk about how many of these 70 are decision-makers after getting statistics," Rohit said in a post on X last year.
