Washim farmers from Scheduled Castes urged to apply on MahaDBT for fruit development scheme

Washim, October 30: A target of Rs 21.42 lakh has been set for the Scheduled Caste category in 2026-27 under the Integrated Horticulture Development Mission. A special drive is under way so that as many farmers of this category as possible benefit from the scheme. District Superintending Agriculture Officer Arif Shah has appealed to eligible farmers to apply online on the MahaDBT portal.

Under the drive, special melas are being held village by village through assistant agriculture officers. At these melas, Scheduled Caste farmers are being told about the scheme. Special camps are also being held to guide farmers in filling in the online applications.

The mission covers several components. These include strawberry, dragon fruit, chilli seed production among spice crops, turmeric cultivation, cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants, rejuvenation of old orchards, community farm ponds and lining of farm ponds. Four-wheel tractors of up to 20 horsepower, power tillers of less than and more than eight horsepower, power knapsack sprayers or power-operated sprayers of more than 16 litres capacity, farmer training, out-of-state farm visits, pack houses and onion storage structures also come under the scheme.

Under the medicinal and aromatic plants component, the plants include rose, rosemary, tuberose, geranium, chamomile, sandalwood, davana, jasmine, lavender, palmarosa, lemongrass, tulsi, vetiver, Java citronella and sweet basil. Applications can also be made under the relevant components for cultivating medicinal plants such as liquorice, shatavari, kalihari, safed musli, guggul, manjistha, kutki, atis, jatamansi, ashwagandha, brahmi, vidarikand, pippali and chirayata.

Interested and eligible farmers must go to the https://mahadbt.maharashtra.gov.in portal, choose the components available under the mission and then apply online. They have been asked to contact the nearest agriculture office for full details of the scheme and the revised norms and standards. The appeal was made by District Superintending Agriculture Officer Arif Shah.