Crop Husbandry-Tribal Development Department, Maharashtra, India

In Maharashtra, nearly 85 percent of the tribal population is engaged in Agriculture. Out of this 40 Percent are farmers and 45 Percent are agricultural labourers Therefore, the mainstay of the tribal economy is still agriculture and allied occupations. Although, most of the tribal families depend on Agriculture for their main source of income and occupation. Tribal agriculture is characterised by low technology and low input resources and therefore, the nature of agricultural productivity of various crops in the tribal areas is not high. Moreover, irrigation facilities in the tribal area are also extremely limited.

2. According to the statistical information available from the 2000-01census, there are in all 121.04 lakh operational holdings with their total operated area being 199.15 lakh hectares. Out of this, the holdings belonging to Scheduled Tribes are 7.77 lakh, constituting about 7.00 percent of the total holdings. The area covered by these holdings is 15.00 lakh hectares, i.e., 7.00 percent of the total area of all holdings. Out of 7.77 lakh holdings belonging to Scheduled Tribes, 7.63 lakh holdings are individual and 0.14 lakh holdings are joint holdings, constituting 98.18 percent and 9.82 percent of the total Scheduled Tribe holdings respectively. The area covered by these holdings is 14.96 lakh hectares or 98.18 percent and 0.37 lakh hectares or 1.82 Percent respectively of the total area of 15.32 lakh hectares belonging to these holdings.

3. For Crop Husbandary an outlay of Rs.8133.84 lakhs has been provided. The schemewise details are as follows : -

Scheme to assist tribal farm families to bring them above the poverty line including assistance to cane plantation -

Nearly, 88 percent of the tribals residing in the State are below the poverty line. This scheme therefore, envisages financial assistance to tribal farmers, whose annual income is upto Rs 25,000 only. Under the scheme, subsidy is given on various items, which contribute to increase in the productivity of their farms. Under this scheme, the assistance now available for various items to each family is as under :-

Sr. No.	Item	Limit of subsidy	Percentage of subsidy
1	Land Development Works	49000	100
2	Input kits	5000	100
3	Improved Agricultural implements and plant protection appliances.	10000	100
4	Repairing of old wells	30000	100
5	Inwell Boring	20000	100
6	Supply of bullock pairs	30000	100
7	Supply of bullock carts	15000	100
8	Pipeline	20000	100
9	Pumpset	20000	100
10	New wells	70000 to 100000	100
11	Kitchen Garden	200	100
12	Spriknle/ drip Irrigation	25000	100
13	Farm Pond	35000	100

Beneficiaries are entitled to take benefit according to their needs for one or more items. However, the financial assistance is limited to Rs 5,000 for except New Well & Construction of New Well assistance is limited to Rs.70,000/- to 1 Lakh only.