Haryana launches scheme to raise productivity of wheat

Chandigarh, Dec 29 (UNI) The Haryana Government has implemented an innovative scheme to increase the productivity of wheat and pulses in the state by encouraging adoption of improved farm practices.

A sum of Rs 19.09 crore has been sanctioned for the scheme under National Food Security Mission Scheme during the current financial year, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said while addressing the officers of Agriculture Department here today.

The Chief Minister said the districts having high potential but relatively low level of productivity had been selected under the mission to increase wheat and pulses productivity. He said that under the wheat development scheme Bhiwani, Ambala, Gurgaon, Yamunanagar, Rohtak, Jhajjar and Mahendergarh districts had been selected.

Similalry, five districts to promote pulses--Bhiwani, Rohtak, Sonepat, Hisar and Sirsa--would be covered under the National Food Security Mission scheme.

Mr Hooda said that an action plan had been chalked out to implement this scheme in a effective manner.'' The main aim of this action plan was to increase seed replacement rate besides to promote the use of micro nutrients in deficient soils.'' Apart from this the aim of this mission was to promote gypsum application to reclaim alkaline soils and to mitigate sulphur deficiency in the soils besides to promote farm mechanization to reduce the cost of cultivation and to conserve the natural resources, he added.

The Chief Minister said a sum of Rs 4.63 crore had already been released to the districts under wheat approved action plan and special thrust had been given to promote zero till machine.

He said that under the scheme a sum of Rs 15,000 per machine or 50 per cent of the cost would be born by the government and under the scheme a sum of Rs 97.50 had been earmarked during the current financial year.

UNI