Gram Nirmaan Helps Revive 5 Lakh Sq. M. of Agricultural Land in Betki

Vedanta Iron And Steel Limited (VISL) through Project Gram Nirman, launched an initiative to support farmers with ploughing. Inaugurated at Betki, the initiative marks an important step towards strengthening farming livelihoods in the region. Through this intervention, nearly 5 lakh sq. m. of agricultural land will be brought back under cultivation, creating renewed opportunities for farming communities, encouraging agricultural productivity and supporting traditional livelihoods.

The inaugural ploughing activity was attended by Mr. Omkar M. Desai, Agriculture Officer, along with Panchayat representatives and local farmers. The gathering marked the beginning of a collective effort towards revitalising agricultural land, bringing together institutional support, local governance and farming communities to create sustainable opportunities at the grassroots level.

As part of the initiative, farmers are being provided with ploughing services along with the distribution of 500 kg of paddy seeds, enabling them to prepare their agricultural land and undertake cultivation during the current farming season. The support is expected to benefit approximately 20+ farmers across the village, contributing towards the revival of farming activities and strengthening rural livelihoods.

Speaking on the initiative, Mr. Susanta Ganguli, CEO-VAP, VISL, said, “Agriculture remains an important pillar of Goa’s rural economy.We at VISL aim to make farming more accessible by extending timely support, resources and opportunities to farming communities. The initiative at Betki is a step towards partnering communities & promoting agricultural activity and creating sustainable livelihood opportunities.”

Mr. Prasad Fadte, Adyaksha, Farmers Association, said, “A heartfelt thanks to Vedanta and Project Gram Nirman for empowering the Betki region’s farmers through community farming support, irrigation, and mechanisation. With Vedanta’s CSR initiative, we are successfully cultivating fallow lands and transforming our rural livelihoods!”

In FY 2026-27, Project Gram Nirman has supported 3200+ farmers in bringing ~12 lac sqm of of land under cultivation through interventions such as ploughing, desilting and fertiliser support. The agricultural revival initiative at Betki builds on these continued efforts, extending the project’s focus towards helping revive & strengthen farming in Goa.