Jharkhand Birsa Harit Gram Yojana 2026 - 300 Free Fruit Plants, Eligibility & Apply

Jharkhand government's Birsa Harit Gram Yojana is a plantation scheme run by the Rural Development Department in convergence with MGNREGA. It turns unused rural land into fruit orchards while giving poor households steady wage work. The scheme was launched in 2020 and has covered over 30 lakh households so far, with SC and ST families given first priority.

Under this scheme, every covered family receives 300 fruit-bearing saplings free of cost, including mango, litchi, guava, amla, banana and jackfruit. The labour of digging, planting and maintaining the orchard is paid as MGNREGA wages, which are credited directly to the worker's bank account. After the trees mature in about four to five years, families can earn roughly ₹20,000 to ₹50,000 a year from the fruit harvest.

Jharkhand Birsa Harit Gram Yojana Overview

Birsa Harit Gram Yojana is one of the three rural employment schemes launched by Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren for migrant workers and rural households. The other two are Poto Ho Khel Vikas Yojana and Nilamber Pitamber Jal Samridhi Yojana. All three schemes run under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and focus on creating new assets in the state while offering jobs to rural people.

The scheme is built around long-term goals of sustainable development. It supports poor families, women in rural areas and economically backward households. The government keeps ownership of the land, while the person who plants and cares for the trees gets the benefit of the produce. Market linkages are being developed so families can sell the fruit easily.

Each family is estimated to receive an annual income of around ₹50,000 from the orchard once the trees start bearing fruit. The plantation and maintenance work is done through MGNREGA, so families also earn wages while the trees grow.

Eligibility for Birsa Harit Gram Yojana

Families who want to take part in this scheme need to meet a few simple conditions. The scheme is open to rural households in Jharkhand that have an MGNREGA Job Card and land for plantation.

• Rural household with an active MGNREGA Job Card in Jharkhand
• At least one acre of land for plantation, either own land or panchayat land
• Priority given to SC, ST, BPL and PVTG families
• Willing to maintain the orchard for about five years

Documents Required

Applicants need to keep a few documents ready when they register at the Gram Panchayat. These documents help the department verify the family and the land before approving the plantation.

• MGNREGA Job Card
• Aadhaar Card
• Land records or Gram Panchayat permission for the plot

How to Apply for Birsa Harit Gram Yojana

There is no separate online form for this scheme. The application is done through the Gram Panchayat, and the plantation wages are paid through MGNREGA. Here are the steps to follow.

STEP 1 - Visit the Gram Panchayat office and register the family under Birsa Harit Gram Yojana. The beneficiary is selected through the Gram Sabha.

STEP 2 - Make sure the family has an active MGNREGA Job Card. If not, apply for one at the Gram Panchayat first, since the plantation wages are paid through MGNREGA.

STEP 3 - Keep the land records or written panchayat permission ready so the plantation site gets approved without delay.

STEP 4 - The Department of Forests or Agriculture delivers the 300 saplings, and the MGNREGA wages for the plantation work are credited to the Aadhaar-linked bank account within about 15 days.

For more details, families can check the official MGNREGA portal at nrega.nic.in or the Jharkhand Rural Development Department page at jharkhand.gov.in/rdd. District pages such as seraikela.nic.in also share scheme details.

Other Jharkhand Rural Employment Schemes

Birsa Harit Gram Yojana is part of a wider push by the Jharkhand government to create jobs in rural areas. The other two schemes launched alongside it also run under MGNREGA.

Poto Ho Khel Vikas Yojana links sports with rural job schemes to create assets in villages. Around 5,000 sports grounds are planned, with one in each of the 4,300 panchayats.

Nilamber Pitamber Jal Samridhi Yojana focuses on water conservation, ground water recharging and creating agro water storage units to store rainwater. Districts that face regular water problems, such as Palamu, get the most benefit from this scheme.

Families can also check the Didi Bagia Yojana and the Nilamber Pitamber Jal Samridhi Yojana for more details on related MGNREGA-linked schemes.

FAQ's

What does a family get under Birsa Harit Gram Yojana?

Each family gets 300 free fruit saplings, including mango, litchi, guava, amla, banana and jackfruit. The plantation and maintenance work is paid as MGNREGA wages, and after four to five years the family can earn ₹20,000 to ₹50,000 a year from the fruit harvest.

Who is eligible for this scheme?

Rural households in Jharkhand with an active MGNREGA Job Card and at least one acre of land, either their own or panchayat land, can apply. SC, ST, BPL and PVTG families get first priority.

How can a family apply?

There is no separate online form. Families need to register at the Gram Panchayat, where the beneficiary is selected through the Gram Sabha. An active MGNREGA Job Card and land records are required.

Is the scheme still running in 2026?

Yes, Birsa Harit Gram Yojana is still running in 2026. It has covered over 30 lakh households since it was launched in 2020, and families can still apply through their Gram Panchayat.