The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved a new scheme PM-PRANAM to incentivise states to promote alternative fertilisers and reduce the use of chemical fertilisers.

The scheme was announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget Speech in February.

What is PM-PRANAM?

• It is the need of the hour to go back to more natural ways of farming and promotion of balanced/sustainable use of chemical fertilisers.

• Promoting natural/organic farming, alternate fertilisers, innovations like nano-fertilisers  and  bio-fertilisers can help in restoring fertility of Mother Earth.

• PM-PRANAM (PM Programme for Restoration, Awareness, Generation, Nourishment and Amelioration of Mother Earth) is aimed at saving the soil and promoting sustainable balanced use of fertilisers.

• The scheme involves the participation of the state governments.

• The states, which will adopt alternative fertilisers will be incentivised with the subsidy that is saved by reducing the use of chemical fertilisers.

• Suppose a state is using 10 lakh tonnes of conventional fertiliser, and if it reduces its consumption by 3 lakh tonnes, then the subsidy saving would be Rs 3,000 crore. Out of that subsidy savings, the Centre will give 50 per cent of it — Rs 1,500 crore to the state for promoting the use of alternative fertiliser and other development works.

Manorama Yearbook app is now available on Google Play Store and iOS App Store