India Region

What is the PMPRANAM program of the Government of India?

30 June 2023, New Delhi: PMPRANAM is Pradhan Mantri Programme for Restoration, Awareness Generation, Nourishment, and Amelioration of Mother Earth (PMPRANAM). The announcement of PMPRANAM was done in the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by PM Modi this week. As per the statement released by the committee, “Mother Earth has always provided plentiful sources of sustenance to mankind. It is the need of the hour to go back to more natural ways of farming and promotion of balanced/sustainable use of chemical fertilizers. Promoting natural/organic farming, alternate fertilizers, and innovations like Nano Fertilizers and bio-Fertilizers can help in restoring the fertility of Mother Earth. Thus, it was announced in the Budget that “PM Programme for Restoration, Awareness Generation, Nourishment and Amelioration of Mother – Earth (PMPRANAM)” will be launched to incentivize States/ Union Territories to promote alternate fertilizers and balanced use of chemical fertilizers.”

Market Development Assistance (MDA) for promoting Organic Fertilizers from Gobardhan Plants

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved a package that consists of an innovative incentive mechanism for the restoration, nourishment, and betterment of mother earth. Market Development Assistance (MDA) scheme in the form of Rs 1500 per MT to support the marketing of organic fertilizers, viz., Fermented Organic Manures (FOM)/Liquid FOM/Phosphate Rich Organic Manures (PROM) produced as a by-product from Bio-gas Plants/Compressed Biogas (CBG) Plants set up under umbrella GOBARdhan initiative.

Such organic fertilizers would be branded in the names of Bharat Brand FOM, LFOM, and PROM. This on the one hand will facilitate in addressing the challenge of management of crop residue and problems of Parali burning, will also help in keeping the environment clean and safe, and at the same time provide an additional source of income for farmers. Farmers will get organic fertilizers (FOM/LFOM/ PROM) at affordable prices.

This initiative will facilitate the implementation of the Budget announcement of establishing 500 new waste-to-wealth plants under the GOBARdhan scheme for promoting a circular economy, by increasing the viability of these BG/CBG plants.

The promotion of Natural Farming as sustainable agriculture practice is restoring soil health and reducing input costs for farmers. 425 KVKs (Krishi Vigyan Kendras) have laid down demonstrations of natural farming practices and organized 6,777 awareness programs involving 6.80 lakh farmers. Course curricula for Natural Farming have also been developed for BSc as well as MSc programs to be implemented from the academic session July-August 2023.

Also Read: FMC Corporation CEO Mark Douglas meets Indian Prime Minister Modi

(For Latest Agriculture News & Updates, follow Krishak Jagat on Google News)