Maharashtra to bring sugarcane area under drip irrigation, likely to give interest free loans

PUNE: Maharashtra government is about to formulate a policy to bring all the cin the state under drip irrigation and is thinking over giving zero interest loans to farmers instead of handing over the subsidies to the drip irrigation companies.

"We recently had a meeting with Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadanvis. We are thinking of paying the interest rate on the loan that the farmers will have to avail to purchase the drip irrigation systems instead of the existing system of giving subsidy to the companies," said Nitin Gadkari, union minister of transport.

However, former union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar argued that if drip irrigation is made mandatory then it will be tough to implement in the areas, which are dependent on canal water for irrigation. "Farmers will have to invest in laying pipeline, storage structure to get water. They will have to get access to uninterpreted power supply," he said.

India's sugar production is expected to grow at 3% per annum and to increase productivity from restricted area and to save water in the light of frequent droughts, the industry has been looking at technological solutions like micro irrigation and improved cane varieties.