75 per cent grant to the farmers for horticultural activities

Chandigarh, May 13 (UNI) The Haryana Government is providing 75 per cent grant to the farmers of the state for setting up orchards in order to give a major fillip to horticultural activities.

A spokesman of the Horticulture Department said the State Government was emphasising the farmers to adopt cultivation of horticulture crops as it was far more remunerative than the traditional crops. The State Government was also giving grant of 50 per cent for the renovation of old orchards in all the districts of Haryana. A grant of Rs.15,000 per orchard was being given for the orchards of mango, guava, ber, kinnu and aanwla, he added.

Giving details about the grants provided by the state government for setting up orchards under National Horticulture Mission, he informed that grant at the rate of Rs.9750 per hectare was provided for the cultivation of guava, Rs.15750 per hectare for mango, Rs.11,250 per hectare for ber and Rs.18,525 per hectare for cheeku.

He said that the amount of grant was disbursed in three years in the ratio of 50:20:30 and was provided for a maximum area of four hectares. The facility of this grant was available for the fruits of mango, cheeku and ber. He said that to boost floriculture, State Government was also providing a grant of 50 per cent to small and marginal farmers and 33 per cent to other farmers for floral cultivation,he added.

The spokesman said that grant at the rate of Rs.11250 per hectare for the cultivation of fragrant plants was also provided.

This facility was being provided in the districts of Ambala, Panchkula, Yamunanagar, Sirsa, Karnal, Faridabad, Mewat, Bhiwani and Gurgaon. A similar grant of Rs.11,250 per hectare was being provided for the growth of spices such as chillies, garlic, ginger and turmeric.

He said that protected cultivation under the National Horticulture Mission was also promoted in the State by providing a grant of 50 percent to small and marginal farmers and 33 per cent to other farmers for setting up Green Houses. The State Government was also encouraging organic farming in all the districts and was providing a grant of Rs.30,000 per unit for vermi compost and a grant of Rs.5 lakh for registration of organic farms.

Bee-keeping was also being given a boost in the State and a grant of Rs.450 was being provided for the purchase of each honeycomb and Rs.350 for the purchase of each colony. A maximum grant of Rs.2.50 lakh was being given for on the basis of the projects of bee-keeping to the registered farmers.

He said that the State Government was not only providing training in horticulture to the farmers of all the districts, but also providing grant for getting this training. A grant of Rs.1500 was provided to farmers for receiving a 7-day training within the State and Rs.2500 for getting this training outside the State. Grant was also available for getting one year diploma course and three months certificate course at Horticulture Training Institute for Short-Term Courses, Uchani. The Murthal centre of Haryana Agro-Industries Development Corporation was imparting training in mushroom production and bee-keeping, he added.

UNI