Action Plan to double food production and farming income

Chandigarh, July 11 (UNI) Haryana Government has submitted a Rs 2447.52 crore Action Plan to the Centre for doubling of food production and income of farmers.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, while reviewing the functioning of Agriculture Department here today, said the Action Plan provides for increased investment for research and development, promotion of crop diversification integrated pest management, agricultural mechanisation and supplementation of farmers income through organic farming.

Out of the total budget of the Action Plan, Rs 1160 crore have been proposed for land development and water management and Rs 960 crore for crop diversification and remaining amount for other components like production of bio agents, agriculture mechanisation and sugarcane development.

It was informed that another project costing Rs 935.13 crore has also been forwarded to the Central Government for land reclamation and water management. It aimed at reclaiming 45,750 hectare. of area and bring another 44,000 hectare. of area under irrigation in 1000 villages in the state. The major components of the project included sub-surface drainage, ground water recharge and water conservation.

The Director, Agriculture, R K Khullar said the Department has urged the Central Government to expand the network of Agriculture Technology Management Agency Scheme from six districts to all the 20 districts in the state. At present, this scheme is being implemented in the districts of Hisar, Sirsa, Karnal, Sonipat, Rohtak and Rewari with Central and state share of 90:10.

The scheme, working on the principal of bottom up planning not only provides basic information regarding soil, water and climatic conditions of the area, but also suggests measures to be taken to improve agricultural production and the income of the farmers. While 10 per cent of the budget of the scheme is for participation of private sector, 30 per cent of the budget is being focused on women farmers.

It was informed that about Rs 2.67 crore, which is thrice as much compared to corresponding period last year, has been spent on the implementation of various schemes during the first quarter of the current financial year.

He said while 805 hectares of area has been reclaimed under a project for reclamation of saline and water logged soils, a target has been fixed to reclaim 1000 hectare of land during the current financial year and out of it 513 hectare have already been reclaimed upto June.

It was informed the campaign launched to motivate the farmers to do away with the cultivation of Saathi (an early variety of paddy) has yielded encouraging result as they understood that it was adversely affecting the water table. The farmers are also being motivated for judicious use of fertilizers.

UNI JN DKS ND1634