Knowledge of Bhavanter Bharpai Yojna (BBY): Pathways to rural transformation in Haryana

Introduction

Agriculture remains the mainstay for a majority of India's population, especially in rural areas. But even as the country produces enough food, the economic condition of farmers often remains uncertain. In Haryana, farmers frequently face the problem of falling prices at the time of harvest, especially for perishable crops like vegetables (Chand, 2017) [3] . To address this, the state government launched the Bhavanter Bharpai Yojna (BBY) in 2018 a scheme designed to compensate farmers when they are forced to sell their crops below the government's benchmark price. The aim was not just to protect farm incomes, but also to promote crop diversification, particularly into vegetables, fruits, and millets that aren't covered by traditional MSP procurement (Government of Haryana, 2018) [9] . However, for schemes like BBY to work well, farmers need to understand them fully and be able to access them without too much hassle. Unfortunately, many farmers are unaware of key aspects of the scheme, like how to register, what documents are needed, or even what crops are covered. A study by Bhakar et al. (2020) [2] found that overall awareness among vegetable growers in Haryana was only about 46%, with over 60% of respondents unaware of registration procedures, claim mechanisms, and contact details for support. Even though most farmers agreed that BBY could reduce income risks, they also believed the current process is too complicated especially for those with limited education or digital skills. These challenges aren't new. Earlier studies also point out that education level, landholding size, access to extension services, and participation in farmer networks strongly influence how much farmers know about such schemes and how likely they are to benefit (Kumar et al., 2021; Awasthi & Mishra, 2019) [6,1] . In areas like Haryana, where literacy and digital access vary widely, this creates deep information gaps (Gaurav & Mishra, 2012) [4] . Add to this the growing use of online registration systems like Meri Fasal Mera Byora, and it's clear that even a well-meaning scheme can become inaccessible to the very people it was meant to help (Mittal & Mehar, 2016; Kaur & Singh, 2020) [7,5] . Hence, it becomes necessary to assess the actual knowledge levels of BBY beneficiaries, identify the factors influencing their awareness, and understand the practical constraints they face while availing benefits under the scheme. The present study was undertaken in the Mahendergarh and Bhiwani districts of Haryana with the objective of analyzing farmers' knowledge about BBY, the socio-economic factors associated with it, and the constraints in adoption. The www.extensionjournal.com findings of the study are expected to help in designing better extension strategies and improving the effectiveness of BBY in the state.

Objectives  To assess the knowledge of farmers about Bhavanter

Bharpai Yojana (BBY)  To delineate the factors associated with knowledge of BBY beneficiary farmers  To find out the constraints faced by Bhavanter Bharpai Yojana beneficiary farmers

Methodology

The study involved 120 farmers who were Bhavanter Bharpai Yojna beneficiaries and was carried out in the districts of Mahendergarh and Bhiwani in the state of Haryana. Three blocks Mahendergarh and Kanina in the Mahendergarh district and the Tosham block in the Bhiwani district-were selected for the study. The villages chosen for the study were Jhagroli, Sigra, and Rasulpur from the Kanina block, as well as Riwasa and Bucholi from the Mahendergarh block where the greatest number of farmers benefited from BBY. The villages selected were Sungarpur, Bajina, and Dhani Mahu from the Tosham block in the Bhiwani district. As part of the sample, 60 BBY beneficiary farmers in total were selected from Mahendergarh district and 60 from Bhiwani district. In accordance with the goals of the study, an interview schedule was developed to collect the required data. In accordance with the objectives of the study, statistical techniques including frequency, chi-square, weighted mean scores, and rank order were applied. Data were collected via a survey approach with the help of planned interview schedule.

Results and Discussion

Knowledge level of farmers regarding BBY

The Table1 illustrates the level of knowledge among the respondents. About one-sixth of the respondents (15.83%) had a low level of knowledge. Approximately one-third of the respondents (44.17%) had a medium level of knowledge. The remaining respondents, making up twofifths (40.00%), demonstrated a high level of knowledge.

Association between Socio-economic variables and knowledge level of the respondents

Analysis from Table 2 shows that among respondents aged >35 to 50 years, one-fifth demonstrated low knowledge (22.00%), with over half exhibiting medium knowledge (52.00%), Additionally, one-fourth of respondents above 50 years old showcased a high level of knowledge (66.67%).

In terms of caste, a notable proportion of respondents from the scheduled caste displayed high knowledge (61.11%) and as much as 18.18% respondents from general category had the lowest level of knowledge. Approximately one-fifth of respondents from nuclear families showed medium knowledge (42.86%), with a slightly higher percentage from joint families also had medium level of knowledge (45.31%).Analysis revealed there is no significant association of family size with knowledge level where half of the respondents from family with over

Knowledge of farmers about BhavanterBharpai Yojana (BBY)

Data from the Table 3 signifies that, more than three fourth (77.50%) of total farmers had the knowledge that the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board is responsibility for implementing the scheme. Secondly, a considerable portion (72.50%) demonstrated understanding of the scheme's objectives, which includes mitigating the risk of low prices for millets, vegetables, and fruits, as well as encouraging agricultural diversification. Furthermore, a substantial number of farmers recognized the scheme's effectiveness in reducing market price risks during glut production (67.50%) and incentivizing farmers during low crop prices (65.00%). However, fewer farmers were awared of its year-round income provision (59.17%) or its role in enhancing and intensifying crop cultivation (55.00%). Additionally, knowledge about crop diversification (50.83%) and the crops included in BBY (49.17%) was relatively lower. Furthermore, understanding of information provided by Common Service Centres (44.17%) and the registration process through Meri Fasal Mera Byora (39.17%) was limited among farmers. Moreover, knowledge about sale procedures using J-form (35.00%) and compulsory registration documents (30.83%) was notably low. Lastly, awareness regarding the appeal process against area verification was minimal (25.83%). Overall, the findings suggest varying degrees of awareness among farmers regarding different aspects of the BBY scheme, with some areas demonstrating higher comprehension than others. Information is provided by the Common service Centre about the scheme 53 44.17 67 55.83 10. Regarding registration process on the meri fasalmerabyora and closing dates for the crops under the scheme 47 39.17 73 60.83 11.

Sale produces on J-form under the scheme 42 35.00 78 65.00 12

Compulsory documents required for registration 37 30.83 83 69.17 13 Knowledge how to appeal against area verification 31 25.83 89 74.17

Constraints in adoption of BBYs

Analysis revealed (Table 4) that a significant majority (65.83%) agreed that delays and problems in the implementation of the scheme pose a major constraint, indicating frustrations with administrative inefficiencies (rank I). Secondly, a substantial portion (61.67%) expressed agreement that difficulties in benefiting from the scheme due to incorrect registration of land details on the portal present a significant obstacle, suggesting issues with the registration process (rank II). Additionally, half of the respondents (50.00%) agreed that the non-inclusion of some crops under the scheme acts as a constraint, potentially limiting its applicability and effectiveness (rank III). Moreover, a considerable portion (45.83%) found the requirement to sell produce using J-Form on a daily or crop basis cumbersome, potentially impeding the ease of participation in BBY. Conversely, fewer respondents expressed neutrality or disagreement with these constraints.

Conclusion

This study examined the level of knowledge among farmers regarding the Bhavantar Bharpai Yojna (BBY) and explored the socio-economic factors influencing their knowledge, along with the key challenges faced during implementation which was conducted in the Mahendergarh and Bhiwani districts of Haryana. The research covered 120 beneficiaries using a structured interview schedule. Results indicated that 44.17% of respondents had medium knowledge of the scheme, while 40% demonstrated high knowledge and 15.83% had limited understanding. Significant associations were observed between knowledge levels and variables such as education, landholding size, income, and extension contact. Major barriers reported by farmers included delayed compensation, technical difficulties in digital registration, and the exclusion of certain crops from the scheme. The study suggests that streamlining administrative procedures, increasing farmer outreach, and expanding the

Acknowledgement

www.extensionjournal.com scope of covered crops can significantly enhance the effectiveness and accessibility of BBY.

References

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