Virtual Launch of Roka-Chheka Campaign at hands of Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel

Appeal to farmers: Commence roka-cheka in all villages from July 1

Financial aid of of Rs 24.41 crore announced for management of Gauthans

Total Financial aid of Rs 23.28 crores approved for the maintenance of 5820 active Gauthans in the state, Each Gauthan to be provided aid of Rs 40 thousand

Financial aid of Rs 1.13 crore to be provided to 1135 self-supporting Gauthans at the rate of Rs.10 thousand per Gauthan

Sanction of Rs 1.61 crore announced for solar street light, three high mast solar plants in model Gram Panchayat Risama and solar cold storage plant in Daihan campus

Raipur, 01 July 2021

 Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel said that Chhattisgarh is marching ahead on the path of realizing the vision of Mahatma Gandhi, Father of Nation, to make self-dependent self-supporting villages. With economic activities conducted in gauthans under Narva, Garva, Ghurua, Bari Yojana have created various employment opportunities for women as well as people of rural areas, leading them towards self-dependence. Chief Minister was addressing the virtual programme held from his residence office to launch Roka-Chheka Abhiyan. This campaign was virtually inaugurated today at hands of Chief Minister with the objective to save kharif crops from stray cattle. He said that under Roka-Chheka campaign, meetings should be held in villages and shepherds should be entrusted with the responsibility to gather cattle in gauthans. 
On the occasion, Chief Minister said that State Government is providing the financial resources for the management of gauthans. In the programme, Chief Minister announced financial aid of Rs 24 crore 41 lakh 50 thousand for gauthans. Chief Minister has sanctioned a total of Rs 23 crore 28 lakh as financial aid for maintenance of 5820 active Gauthans of the state, at the rate of Rs 40 thousand per Gauthan, and Rs one crore 13 lakh 50 thousand to 1135 self-supporting Gauthans of the state, at the rate of 10 thousand rupees per Gauthan. In the self-supporting Gauthans of the state, self-help groups are producing vermin-compost and super compost from the cow dung procured. They are earning steady income from production of vermi compost, super compost and other economic activities. Chief Minister congratulated the committees of self-supporting Gauthans and the villagers, for their achievement. Chief Minister interacted with the members of women self-help groups and appreciated their work.

In the programme, Chief Minister interacted with the representatives of Gauthan committee, Sarpanches, villagers and women of self-help groups present at Gauthan of Kesli village in Balodabazar district, Amlidiha Gauthan of Pusaur block in Raigarh district, Bhavgir Navagaon Gauthan in Kanker district and Risama Gauthan in Durg district. During this interaction via video conferencing, Chief Minister asked them about the activities conducted in the Gauthans. On request of Sarpanch of model Gram Panchayat Risama, Chief Minister announced sanction of Rs one crore 61 lakh 93 thousand 705 for setting up solar power plants, street lights at the main road of Risama, high mast solar plants at three square intersections and establishment of 5 metric ton capacity solar cold storage plant in Daihan campus.
On the occasion, Home Minister Mr. Tamradhwaj Sahu, Agriculture Minister Mr. Ravindra Choubey, Public Health Engineering Minister Guru Rudra Kumar, Advisor to Chief Minister Mr. Pradeep Sharma, Chief Secretary Mr. Amitabh Jain, Additional Chief Secretary of Chief Minister Mr. Subrat Sahu, Cabinet Secretary Mr.  Siddhartha Komal Singh Pardeshi, Agriculture Production Commissioner Dr. M. Geeta, Special Secretary Agriculture Department Dr. Bharathidasan and Director of Agriculture Department Mr. Yashwant Kumar were also present. 
While addressing the program, Chief Minister said that Roka-Chheka campaign is very important for Chhattisgarh to save the crops from open grazing animals. From today, instead of leaving their cattle for grazing in the open, the cattle owners should send them to the Gauthans, where arrangements for fodder and water have been made under Roka-Chheka campaign. He said that this year the state has received sufficient rainfall, while sowing of crops and threshing work has also been started early.He added that last year, Roka-Chheka campaign yielded promising results. In the previous year, record procurement of 92 lakh metric tonnes of paddy was done at support price. He added that along with the farmer friendly schemes such as Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana and procurement of paddy at support price, State Government's Roka-Chheka campaign has also contributed significantly in this achievement. It is a good sign that more and more people in Chhattisgarh are inclining towards agriculture.
During the virtual interaction on the occasion, Agriculture Minister Mr. Ravindra Choubey said that State Government’s schemes should be widely publicized so that maximum number of farmers may take advantage of the schemes. Home Minister Mr. Tamradhwaj Sahu said that shepherds should be entrusted with the responsibility to gather cattle in gauthans. This will save the expenses on fencing farms. 
Agriculture Production Commissioner Dr. M. Geeta informed that infrastructure has been developed in 5820 active Gauthans of the state at the cost of Rs.416 crore. Vermi beds have been made in Gauthans, solar pumps and required machines have been arranged in the gauthans. An amount of about Rs 96 crore has been distributed to the cow dung vendors in lieu of the cow dung procured, Rs 7 crore 82 lakh has been given as dividend to women self-help groups and Rs 11 crore 70 lakh has been distributed to Gauthan committees in last 10 months. Pasture development work is going on in about 3232 Gauthans. At the end of the program Dr.S Bharathidasan, Special Secretary, Agriculture Department proposed vote of thanks.