The Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government's innovative Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme for agricultural seeds is delivering significant financial relief to farmers across the Gorakhpur division. In the current financial year, over 70,000 cultivators have successfully reduced their input costs and boosted their income thanks to this transparent, middleman-free initiative.
How the Seed DBT Scheme Works
Under this flagship program, certified and high-quality seeds are made available to registered farmers at heavily subsidised rates through authorised distribution centres. The unique feature is the direct transfer of the subsidy component straight into the beneficiary's bank account. This mechanism ensures complete transparency in the process and effectively eliminates the role of intermediaries, guaranteeing that the full benefit reaches the intended farmer.
Arvind Kumar Singh, the Joint Director of Agriculture for the Gorakhpur Division, explained the model. The government provides subsidised seeds every crop season to enrolled farmers. "During the recent rabi season, a substantial 50% subsidy was offered on seeds for ten major crops. This intervention resulted in farmers saving nearly half of their total seed expenditure," Singh stated.
Rabi Season Success and District-Wise Impact
Official data, current until November 30 of this financial year, reveals the scheme's extensive reach. A total of 70,263 farmers in the four districts of the Gorakhpur division have received the seed subsidy benefit. In a remarkable show of efficient implementation, every single application received from Gorakhpur, Deoria, Kushinagar, and Maharajganj districts was approved, with no rejections recorded.
The impact during the Rabi season alone was substantial. Subsidies amounting to Rs 18.7 crore were disbursed to 37,175 farmers. The district-wise breakdown for the Rabi season is as follows:
- Gorakhpur: Rs 4.8 crore to 6,032 farmers
- Maharajganj: Rs 4.9 crore to 8,734 farmers
- Deoria: Rs 5.69 crore to 8,861 farmers
- Kushinagar: Rs 3.21 crore to 13,548 farmers
Full Disposal of Applications Across the Division
The cumulative figures for the entire current financial year further underscore the scheme's success and accessibility. The beneficiary count reflects a 100% disposal rate of all received applications across the division. The final tally stands at:
15,764 farmers in Gorakhpur, 18,466 in Deoria, 16,560 in Kushinagar, and 19,473 in Maharajganj.
This widespread adoption indicates strong trust in the system among the farming community. By directly transferring funds, the DBT model not only cuts cultivation costs but also empowers farmers with greater financial autonomy and choice. The scheme is being viewed as a critical step towards enhancing farm profitability and ensuring the use of quality seeds for better crop yields in eastern Uttar Pradesh.
