209 farmers have been assisted under the New Farmers Assistance Scheme since it began in 2017.
The Permanent Secretary for the Office of the Prime Minister, Yogesh Karan says the scheme is to entice new and young farmers to venture into sugarcane farming to address aging and declining number of sugarcane farmers.
Under this assistance, Ministry of Sugar Industry meets the cost of lease acquisition (that is the amount stated in the offer letter from TLTB and Ministry of Lands) and also assists in establishing farms by providing free fertilizer and weedicides for a maximum of 5 acres of land in the first year only.
Ministry also provides a grant for land preparation and planting of sugarcane for a maximum of 5 acres through an ongoing program called Sugarcane Development and Farmers Assistance grant which is commonly known as Cane Planting Grant or CPG.
Karan says while the government is doing its part, he has urged the recipients to do their part by cultivating the idle land into productive sugarcane farms.
