Haryana to spend Rs 235.93 cr on horticulture

Chandigarh, Jun 26 (UNI) The Haryana Government will spent Rs 235.93 crore during the current financial year for the development of horticulture in the state.

This was stated by Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda while presiding over a review meeting of Horticulture Department and the schemes being launched under National Horticulture Mission and Micro Irrigation schemes last evening.

He said that a Memorandum of Understanding had been signed between Isreal and Central Government for the development of vegetable and fruit under control conditions. He informed that the ambassador of Isreal in India had recently visited Karnal to see the site and the work on project would start in the end of the July.

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 Isreal-Indo project at Ucchani in Karnal district.

The Chief Minister exhorted the agriculture scientists that maximum attention should be paid towards the production of quality seeds.

He said that for seed production about Rs four crore had been allocated while for the nursery development a sum of Rs 2.16 crore had been earmarked.

The Chief Minister directed the Horticulture Authorities that tissue culture lab of Karnal should be expanded so that maximum seeds and plant of potato, bananas could be prepared. As many as 70,000 plants of bananas were prepared during last year in this lab while 1.25 lakh banana trees would be prepared during the current financial year.

Agriculture Minister HS Chatha said that the Department was giving a subsidy of 25 per cent for creation of infrastructure and during 2006-07 the total subsidy of Rs 16.82 crore was released to Haryana Agriculture Marketing Board besides 100 collection centres were being set up in the state.

Principal Secretary to Chief Minister ML Tayal stressed the need that the review of the schemes of the department should be taken quarterly so that maximum benefit could be given to the farmers as about 20,000 farmers directly associated with the horticulture.

UNI PS VN1439