Haryana Horticulture budget increased over 235 times

Chandigarh, Jun 25 (UNI) Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today said the state government had increased the budget for the Horticulture Department over 235 times during the past three years.

''The budget for the year 2004-05 was merely Rs 96 lakh and now it has been increased to Rs 235.93 crore,'' said Mr Hooda while presiding over a review meeting of the Horticulture Department and the schemes being launched under the National Horticulture Mission and Micro Irrigation schemes here.

The Chief Minister said the biggest action plan of National Horticulture Mission had been launched in the state which shows that a revolution had ushered in the field of horticulture in the state.

He said the two projects with the collaboration of Israel government would be launched in the state soon, one at Karnal and other at Sirsa.

He said the Ambassador of Israel had recently visited Karnal to see the site and a Memorandum of Understanding had been signed between Isreal and India. The work on Karnal project would start in the end of the July.

Mr Hooda said that under the Micro Irrigation Scheme, 80 per cent amount was being incurred by the Centre and 20 per cent by the state government.

He directed the Director, Horticulture that the assistance to the tune of 90 per cent should be provided to the farmers. He directed the Vice-Chancellor of Haryana Agriculture University, Hisar that 15 acres of land should be given to the Horticulture Department for setting up of Indo-Israel project at Ucchani in district Karnal.

UNI MA AM UCS2144