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Govt takes steps to promote organic farming

Updated: Aug 19, 2013 02:24:20pm
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New Delhi, Aug 19 (KNN)  Through various schemes, setting up of organic input production units and division of farmers lands into clusters the government is keen to encourage organic farming.
 
“Government is promoting Organic farming through various schèmes like National Project on Organic Farming (NPOF), National Horticulture Mission (NHM), Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalyan States (HMNEH), Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) and Network Project on Organic Farming of Indian Council Agricultural Research (ICAR),” said Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Industries, Tariq Anwar in the Rajya Sabha today.

“Under NHM, HMNEH and RKVY schemes, States are being supported for adoption and certification of farmers lands in clusters and setting up of organic input production units,” he added.

During the year 2012-13, the area of land under organic certification (cultivable and wild collection area) stands at 5.21 million hectare.

Funds allocated under NPOF, NHM and ICAR during the year 2013-14 are Rs 427.00 lakh, Rs 1215.50 lakh and Rs 120.00 lakh respectively.

Under NPOF, there is no provision to provide financial assistance to the farmers directly who save subsidy on fertilisers. However, under NHM - funds are provided @ Rs 10,000/- per ha for a maximum area of 4 ha per beneficiary for adoption of organic farming in horticultural crops; assistance is also being provided for setting up vermicompost units @ 50 per cent of the cost subject to a maximum of Rs 30,000/- per beneficiary; and assistance is being provided for organic farming certification @ Rs 5.00 lakh for a group of farmers covering an area of 50 ha.

Besides the above, under NPOF, Government is providing financial assistance for setting up of organic inputs production units as back – ended subsidy through NABARD to the tune of 33 per cent restricted to Rs 60.00 lakh for setting up of fruit/vegetable market waste/agro-waste compost units; and 25 per cent subsidy restricted to Rs 40.00 lakh for setting up of bio-fertilisers/bio-pesticides production units.

The government has also taken several steps for the welfare of farming community.   Plan outlay by Centre for Agriculture during XII Plan period has been substantially increased to Rs 1,34,746 crore as against Rs 61,527.90 crore during the XI Plan period.
 
Further, the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation has a budget provision of  Rs 21,609 crore for the year 2013-14 for development of agriculture through intervention under various schemes/programmes such as Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, National Food Security Mission, Integrated Scheme for Farmers’ Income Security (including covering risks through insurance cover), Price Support Scheme (PSS) and Market Intervention Scheme (MIS), National Horticulture Mission, Funding of Farmer Producer’s Organisations, Self Help Groups of Small & Marginal Farmers for achieving benefits of economies of scale, augmentation of extension services, crop diversification etc.

National Policy on Farmers, 2007 provides that prime farmland must be conserved for agriculture except under exceptional circumstances only if the agencies that are provided with agricultural land for non-agricultural projects compensate for treatment and full development of equivalent degraded/wastelands elsewhere.
 
For non-agricultural purposes, as far as possible, land with low biological potential for farming would be earmarked and allocated. State governments have been advised to earmark lands with low biological potential such as uncultivable land, land affected by salinity, acidity, etc, for non-agricultural development activities, including industrial and construction activities.  All these efforts are at national level.
 
The farmers are at liberty to grow crops as per their choice and wisdom but of course, considering the advisories issued by the Government depending upon climatic conditions’ forecast. (KNN)



 

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