Haryana agriculture minister Harmohinder Singh Chatha urged the Union government to include Faridabad, Jind and Mewat districts under National Food Security Mission (NFSM) on wheat crop as these districts have good potential to increase the wheat productivity.
He also stressed on the need for suitable change in the eligibility norms of Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna (RKVY) so that Haryana could avail the benefits of the scheme. Chatha, speaking in a meeting of NFSM at New Delhi on Tuesday, said that RKVY scheme was another initiative of the government for holistic development of agriculture and allied sectors.This will incentivise the state to increase public investment in agriculture and allied sectors.
He said that a good amount of funds were available under RKVY scheme and it provides good flexibility and autonomy in the process of planning.
Under RKVY, stress would be laid on the development of agriculture and the ancillary agro development in the state, he added. He further said that seven districts for wheat and five districts for pulse crops have been selected under mission in Haryana for the purpose of increasing the production of these crops.
Also, Haryana Agricultural Management Extension Training Institute (HAMETI) has been nominated as state-level autonomous institute to receive the funds under mission programme.
A state-level monitoring committee under the chairmanship of state mission director has been formed. It has been decided to execute the programme through Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA) at district-level.
State action plan of wheat for an amount of Rs.40.94 crore and for pulses an amount of Rs.4.91 crore has been prepared. As the sowing of gram and wheat is likely to begin, he urged the government to release the funds at the earliest.