July 2: Barpak Sulikot Rural Municipality of Gorkha has seen a rise in the number of farmers utilizing their barren lands for production of cash crops with good returns- thanks to the a new measure put in place by the local level.    
Barpak Sulikot Rural Municipality has been providing grant to the farmers as a motivational allowance for utilizing their barren lands.    
The local government had introduced the 'Procedure for use of barren land 2022' and implemented it since the fiscal year 2077/78 BS to motivate the farmers to not desert cultivable land. The local farmers are enthused and further motivated not to keep their arable land barren, according to Tulasi Ram Acharya, chief administrative officer of the rural municipality.    
"For those opting vegetables and other crops are provided up to Rs 3,000 per ropani while those cultivating herbs and spices would get up to Rs 2500 per ropani and those farming fruits receive up to Rs 2,000 per ropani as grant," said Acharya.    
Interestingly, the procedure has a provision of punishment for those farmers not disclosing the information about their barren land to the local government, shared Acharya, adding that such farmers are fined Rs 200 per ropani.    
A total of 938 ropanis of barren land have been used for farming since the implementation of this scheme, shared Bishnu Prasad Bhatt, chairperson of Barpak Sulikot Rural Municipality.    
The culture of cultivation was gradually decreasing in the village lately while the import of agricultural products was on the rise. Against this backdrop, the local administration placed the policy to boost domestic production and make farmers self-reliant, said Chairperson Bhatta.    
Mohan Dhakal, one of the beneficiaries of the grant, said, "This scheme has helped instill the concept that farmers like me could be self-reliant through agriculture rather than seeking greener pastures."    
Agricultural production has spiked in the rural municipality following the implementation of this scheme, said farmer Dhakal. -- RSS