Ahmedabad: The Gujarat government today announced key amendments to the state’s Wire Fencing Scheme aimed at protecting crops from damage caused by stray animals and wild animals. The government has increased financial assistance under the scheme and eased eligibility criteria to ensure more farmers can benefit.

Sharing details after the Cabinet meeting chaired by the Chief Minister, state Agriculture Minister and government spokesperson Jitubhai Vaghani said the assistance amount under the Wire Fencing Scheme has been increased from Rs. 200 to Rs. 300 per running metre, or 50% of the actual cost, whichever is lower.

Vaghani said the decision was taken in view of rising material prices and increasing labour costs, which had raised the average cost of installing fencing. The revised assistance is expected to reduce the financial burden on farmers.

In another significant relaxation, the government has reduced the minimum land requirement for availing benefits under the scheme. Earlier, farmers were required to form a cluster covering at least two hectares of land to receive benefits. However, disagreements among participating farmers often prevented the formation of such clusters, leaving many small farmers excluded.

To address this issue, the state government has now reduced the minimum cluster requirement from two hectares to one hectare, allowing farmers with smaller landholdings to benefit from the scheme.

The minister further said that around one lakh farmers have already applied for assistance through the i-Khedut portal. All applications received so far will be approved in phases before the onset of the monsoon season, ensuring that farmers receive support before becoming occupied with agricultural activities.

For this purpose, the state government has approved an allocation of Rs. 240 crore.

Vaghani also said that while the application portal was previously opened only once a year, the government is prepared to reopen it if required to ensure that more farmers receive the benefits of the scheme. He assured that additional funds beyond the sanctioned Rs. 240 crore would also be arranged if necessary to accommodate more applications and provide greater financial support to farmers across the state. DeshGujarat