UP to boost herbal cultivation along Ganga banks

Lucknow, Feb 16 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has issued directives to boost herbal and organic cultivation along the banks of the Ganga. He has said that the area for herbal cultivation will be increased to over 10 lakh hectares.
According to a government spokesman, the state government has prepared a unique plan with allocation of Rs 4,000 crore to step up organic and zero budget farming in the state and also support its distribution with a dedicated market, which in turn will help farmers living in the adjoining regions by increasing their income up to Rs 500 crore.
At present, the National Medicinal Plants’ Board (NMPB) is supporting the cultivation of medicinal plants in an area of 2.25 lakh hectares in the state. Nearly 800 hectares of land along the Ganga river will be put under cultivation with NMPB.
Along with this, the agriculture and horticulture department is also aiding the ambitious plan of the government by providing grants for selected crops on basis of acreage per hectare.
Uttar Pradesh is extremely prosperous in terms of agro-climatic conditions. It has the presence of nine kinds of agro-climatic zones, abundant water, human wealth and the immensely fertile land of the Indo-Gangetic region.
Considering the large market demand of organic products in the country as well as abroad, this step of the state government is expected to emerge as a special benefit scheme for the farmers.