Haryana seeks central assistance for oilseed cultivation

Chandigarh, Mar 28: The Haryana government has approached the Union Government for sanctioning an amount of Rs 9.54 crore under integrated scheme of oilseeds, pulses, palm oil and maize for the next financial year.

The main focus of the scheme would be production and distribution of quality seeds in order to increase the seed replacement rate of oilseeds and pulses by 70 per cent and 60 per cent respectively, state Agriculture Minister Harmohinder Singh Chattha stated here today.

Mr Chattha revealed that the Agriculture Department would provide 12,200 quintals of certified seeds of oilseeds, pulses, palm oil and maize crops to farmers at a subsidy of Rs 800 per quintal. The department also proposes to produce 777 quintals of foundation seeds of oilseed and pulses for which financial assistance of Rs 500 per quintal qould be provided to the state Seed Corporation and Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar.

Haryana proposes to bring about 79,000 hectares of area under kharif pulses as part of its programme to accelerate the diversification programme in the state for the year 2006-2007, the Minister said.

Mr Chattha said a target of bringing about 12,500 hectares under kharif oilseeds has also been proposed in the paddy-wheat growing area. He said an all-time target had also been fixed for bringing 8.35 lakh hectares of area under oilseeds as against the previous highest coverage of 7.27 lakh hectares during the year 2004-05. The target under rabi pulses had also been fixed at 2.20 lakh hectares, which is highest since 1998-99.

Mr Chattha said that in order to bridge the gap existing between practices recommended by the scientists and actually adopted by the farmers, the department proposes to organise 20 training camps for farmers before sowing of kharif and rabi crops. The Department will also distribute 45,00 metric tonnes of gypsum to the farmers on 50 per cent subsidy.

He said the department also proposed to promote use of bio-fertilizer and 70,000 bags of rhyzobium and PSB would be distributed among the farmers at 50 per cent subsidy.

The minister said that in order to increase the water efficiency, use of sprinkler sets and HDPE pipes will be promoted and the subsidy of 33 to 50 per cent would be given to the farmers on the purchase of these sets.

He said special focus would be laid this season on the integrated pest management for effective control of insect, pest and disease.

As many as 30 farmer field schools on oilseeds and pulses would be organised to create much needed awareness among the farmers regarding of integrated pest management.

The Minister said faremrs would also be motivated to make use of bio-agents like NPV and bio-pesticides like azarachtin, a neem based product.

UNI