ICARE

The scheme aims to support small and marginal jute growers with adequate pre and post harvesting operations to improve fiber quality and receive higher prices. The scheme provides 100% certified seeds at subsidized rates, free mechanical equipment, microbial consortiums, retting ponds.

The scheme "Improved Cultivation And Advanced Retting Exercise (I-CARE)" was launched by the National Jute Board, Ministry of Textiles. The scheme aims to support the small and marginal jute growers with adequate pre and post harvesting operations so that they can grow good quality jute and receive a higher price for their produce. The scheme provides 100% certified high yielding seeds at a 50% subsidized rate, demonstration and use of scientific jute cultivation practices with mechanical intervention, free distribution of a microbial consortium for advanced retting, construction of retting ponds, and a ₹5,000/- one-time maintenance assistance. The applicant must be a registered small or marginal jute grower willing to provide land consent for retting ponds and adopt scientific agronomic techniques. The scheme is implemented by the National Jute Board in association with the Jute Corporation of India and the Central Research Institute For Jute And Allied Fibres. The applications for this scheme are accepted through local agencies, cooperative bodies, and farmers' clubs at the block level.

• The applicant must be a small and marginal jute grower.
• The applicant must be registered in the scheme by the Jute Corporation Of India in association with different farmers’ societies, co-operative bodies, Primary Agricultural Credit Societies, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, or farmers’ clubs under the National Bank For Agriculture And Rural Development.
• The applicant must provide formal consent for their land to be used by the State Government Department for the construction of the retting pond.
• The applicant should be willing to transition from traditional stem retting to scientific methods of cultivation and microbial retting.

• Provision of 100% certified high yielding jute seeds at a 50% subsidized rate supplied by the National Seed Corporation and the Central Research Institute For Jute And Allied Fibres to ensure better crop quality and yield.
• Demonstration of scientific jute cultivation practices and free usage of mechanical interventions, including multi-row seed drills, nail weeders, and single wheel jute weeders, reducing manual weeding costs by approximately 35%.
• Free distribution of a microbial consortium to improve the quality of jute fiber by at least one grade, increase fiber productivity by 10%, and reduce retting time from 18 to 12 days.
• Construction of small retting ponds in the farmers’ fields through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana.
• A one-time financial assistance of ₹5,000/- per pond towards maintenance costs.

##### Disbursal Conditions for Financial Assistance

• The ₹5,000/- maintenance cost is transferred directly to the farmers’ bank accounts through Direct Benefit Transfer after the completion of the retting pond and the submission of a confirmation report, photographic evidence, and Global Positioning System coordinates by the field officials.
• Extensive farmer training and awareness programs on the use of seed drills, single wheel jute weeders, and microbial retting techniques.
• Short Message Service advisories and voice messages detailing land preparation, sowing, de-weeding, plant protection, and retting to educate the growers.

##### Conditions for Availment

• The farmers must utilize the provided inputs such as certified seeds and the microbial consortium strictly for jute cultivation and retting, and successfully maintain the constructed in-situ retting ponds on their fields.