Pandurang Bhurke (name changed) used to migrate to neighbouring Nirmal district in Telangana during summer for work. Though owning 3 Acres of land, he still had to seek employment as farm labour elsewhere. Having left with no source of water/irrigation for cultivation of crops except for the seasonal monsoon, he could only reap one crop. Not to mention the vagaries of monsoon!
Seasonal migration of farm labourers is the norm in this part
Such is the situation of many other farmers in the region. Small landholdings, no assured irrigation, at the mercy of unseasonal rains, high cost of farm inputs, fragmented marketing have made farming an unattractive job.
However a planned visit on a blazing summer afternoon to the fields of beneficiaries of BIRSA MUNDA KRISHI KRANTI YOJANA left me so happy at the end of the day. Pandurang Bhurke was there that day at his field welcoming me. He hadn’t migrated to neighbouring district searching for work. He was working on his own farm. With the WELL sanctioned under BMKKY, he had enough water to grow at least two crops if not three every year. His income had increased from under a lac per year to 3 lacs per annum. All directly attributable to BMKKY.
I was so so proud of holding the Position of Project Officer, Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) Kinwat. That day I witnessed first hand, the ameliorating positive impact of the said scheme. Salute to whoever has designed such scheme.
What is the scheme?
A Package consisting of a WELL, Inwell Boring, PVC/HDPE pipe, plastic sheet for farm ponds, SOLAR PUMP, SPRINKLER/DRIP setup given to the scheduled tribe/scheduled caste farmer earning less than Rs 1.5 lac per Annum . This package is termed as :-
- BIRSA MUNDA KRISHI KRANTI YOJANA – if implemented through Tribal Dept of State Government
- Dr BABA SAHEB AMBEDKAR KRISHI SWAVALAMBHAN YOJANA – if implemented through Social Welfare Department of State Government
- Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana – by Central Govt for Scheduled Tribe Farmers
Just giving a well would lead to wasteful usage of water through flood irrigation thus depleting precious under ground water resource. The scheme was thoughtfully designed to include Solar pump, drip and sprinkler irrigation setup, PVC/HDPE pipe etc.
However the farmers owing to lack of awareness, counselling, immediate concerns are just satisfied with well and they just leave it there. But there are some progressive, hardworking sincere farmers who adopt good farming practice – mixed cropping, drip and sprinkler irrigation, horticulture if market is nearby.
One tribal farmer who stays with his family on the farm itself has grown mango trees of different varieties on the edges of land parcels, vegetables to sell at the nearest town mandi, turmeric. Ofcourse the land holdings are small and they have to adjust their cultivation accordingly.
But if farmers are sensitised enough, counselled and nudged then they won’t stop just at constructing a well but also adopt best practices from soil and moisture conservation to mixed cropping to water harvesting.
Going a step further, the Government has set priority and converging various Govt schemes to uplift the lives of Scheduled Tribe Forest Right Act beneficiaries. In Birsa Munda Krishi Kranti Yojana, FRA beneficiaries are given priority. If its actually implemented, then some 400-500 FRA beneficiaries can be directly lifted out of poverty within an year in just one Taluka.
This year in TSP 2020-21 Plan, ITDP Kinwat has earmarked an ambitious Rs 14 Cr for BMKKY – that’s ~20% of ITDP Kinwat annual budget. It makes sense because in Kinwat & Mahur – a hilly interior tribal area,
– Agriculture is the predominant occupation
– Irrigation is underdeveloped
– High number of FRA beneficiaries
– Seasonal migration of farmers and farm labourers
I’m sure, Bhagavan Birsa Munda would be very glad. The work for next few months is cut out!!
Extra – Interview with one Beneficiary
KEERTHI KIRAN PUJAR 
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