The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Centre gives approval for 16 farm projects

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Tuesday, Jan 08, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Centre gives approval for 16 farm projects

Nagesh Prabhu and T.S. Ranganna

Rs.1,241-crore outlay is under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana

A major project deals with reclamation of
saline and alkaline soils
The Government has also decided to revive
the Land Use Board

BANGALORE: The Union Government has approved 16 agricultural projects with an outlay of Rs. 1,241 crore, submitted by the State Government, under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY).

The scheme is being implemented, from the current financial year, with an objective of re-orienting the farm development strategies for rejuvenation of the sector to impart technology and marketing facilities to farmers. The RKVY would be implemented in the 11th Plan period.

The officials in the Agriculture Department told The Hindu that Rs. 169.07 crore has been allocated to the State in the current fiscal year by the Centre. Under the scheme, various projects worth Rs. 110 crore have been approved by the State-level sanctioning committee. The State Government has been given an assurance by the Centre that it would get Rs. 680 crore next year (2008-09).

For effective implementation of the scheme, the Agricultural Department has been preparing comprehensive district agricultural plans for all 29 districts. All plans would be finalised by the State Government by the end of January.

All the 16 projects had been vetted by the Planning Commission and officials of the Union Agriculture Ministry.

Of the 16 projects, a major project deals with reclamation of saline and alkaline soils (Rs. 300 crore) to bring 75,000 hectares of waste land under cultivation in the next five-year period. The Government has also decided to revive the Land Use Board.

The board will have technical staff to prepare plans for training of extension personnel and to coordinate different departmental activities in the implementation of the action plan for agricultural development. Large tracts of waste lands in Bijapur, Bagalkot, Raichur, Koppal, Hassan, Bellary and Gulbarga districts would be transformed into farmlands, the official said.

The other major project approved by the Centre is the Suvarna Krishi Honda (farm ponds) with an outlay of Rs. 250 crore. The State Government will meet 10 per cent of the cost (Rs. 25 crore).

Approved projects

Other approved projects are in areas of agricultural marketing (Rs. 50 crore); establishment of village knowledge centres (Rs. 27 crore); research institute on organic farming; advanced centre on water resource management; centre for agricultural biotechnology; participatory seed production for food security and to improve socio-economic status of farming community; and self-help groups of farmers (all Rs. 50 crore each); creation of post-harvest infrastructure to increase agriculture/horticulture exports (Rs. 75 crore); establishment of seeds processing units (Rs. 24 crore); agricultural management information system (AMIS); and study tour for farmers.

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