CCEA approves revised Marco Management of Agriculture Scheme

New Delhi, Mar 22 (UNI) The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) today gave approval for implementation of the Revised Macro Management of Agriculture (MMA) Scheme during the Eleventh Plan which redefines its role to avoid overlapping and duplication of efforts with other schemes.

Briefing newspersons on the outcome of the CCEA meeting, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said the scheme will be subject to mid-term appraisal.

The MMA Scheme has been comprehensively revised in terms of the scope of activities, rationalisation of the cost and subsidy norms vis-as vis other schemes to bring uniformity and avoid confusion at the field level and a revised allocation criteria.

The Revised MMA scheme comprises 11 sub-schemes relating to crop production and natural resource management.

Mr Chidambaram said a tentative outlay of Rs 5,500 crore has been earmarked for the Scheme during the Eleventh Plan.

He said the Scheme has been made more relevant to the present agricultural scenario.

"The revised MMA scheme would help in increasing agricultural production and productivity by redefining yield gaps towards ensuring food security and increasing farmer's income", he said.

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