DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND COOPERATION

 

Enhanced Plan Outlays

In order to provide substantial financial assistance to its ongoing and new initiatives, the annual plan outlay for the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation was substantially enhanced from Rs.2,650 crore in 2004-05, to Rs. 4,179.32 crore in 2005-06, reflecting an increase of 57.7 per cent.  The budget allocation for the current year (2006-07) has been further raised to Rs. 4,800 crore, constitution a growth of 14.85 per cent over the allocation in the preceding year.

 

 Agricultural Marketing

Reforms envisaged in agricultural marketing   included promotion of direct marketing, contract farming and development of competitive agricultural markets in private and cooperative sectors, requiring amendment to State legislations on agricultural marketing (APMC Act).    States were requested to suitably amend their marketing legislation and already 21 States/Union Territories have either fully or partly amended their marketing legislations and created lawful space for private and cooperative sector. The Ministry is also implementing a plan scheme “Development and Strengthening of Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure, Grading and Standardisation” with a view to  attracting large investments for the rapid development of marketing and post-harvest infrastructure in agriculture and allied sectors.

Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) was approved in July 2005, to aggressively promote agribusiness project development by providing venture capital assistance to agri business   with an outlay of Rs. 48   crore.      SFAC has so far approved  assistance to 24 agri-business projects involving Rs.673.86 lakh. These projects are expected to mobilise   private investment of Rs.92.96 crore, provide assured market to about 24,000 farmers for their produce and create direct employment for approximately 2,000 persons. 

It is also proposed to set up state-of-the-art Terminal Markets, which would operate on a hub-and-spoke format wherein the Terminal Market (the hub) would be linked to a number of collection centres (the spokes), conveniently located to allow easy access to farmers for the marketing of their produce. Under the National Horticulture Mission, an amount of Rs.150 crore has been earmarked for setting up of Terminal Markets in the country.

Under Grameen Bhandaran Yojana, which is a Scheme for Construction of Rural Godowns for providing the facility of safe and scientific storage to the farming community , additional storage capacity of 59.41 lakh tonnes has been created in rural areas during the last two years involving a subsidy of  Rs.152.62 crore. 

 

   

 

Development of Horticulture

A National Horticulture Mission (NHM) was approved for implementation in 2005-06, and the allocation of Rs. 630 crore for implementation of the Mission during 2005-06 was fully utilised. 

 

      The foundation stone for a Central Institute of Horticulture at Dimapur, Nagaland, was laid by the Agriculture Minister in March this year.  The Institute would assist the overall development of horticulture in the North Eastern Region through continuous technical support for large scale demonstration, capacity building and promotion of

different horticultural crops. A sum of Rs. 5.6 crore has been provided for this programme for the year 2006-07.

 

Mass Media Support

The Scheme on Mass Media Support has been recast to enhance its coverage and relevance of contents.  The Scheme now provides for telecast of agricultural programmes through 36 Narrowcasting Centres. Live ‘Crop Seminars’ on Doordarshan, involving farmers and experts, have also been organised. The Kisan Call Centre services have been strengthened by making such centres operational for 16 hours on all days. About 12 lakh farmers have been serviced through this helpline in the past two years covering several parts of the country. 

 

     A ‘North-East Agri Expo’ was organised by the Department from March 27-31, 2006, at Dimapur along with the Nagaland government and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), with the support of the Ministry of DoNER and the Ministry of Rural Development, involving all States of NE Region and Sikkim. 

 

Seeds Sector

The Task Force on Application of Biotechnology in Agriculture, under the chairmanship of Dr. M.S. Swaminathan, submitted its report in June, 2004. One of the most important recommendations of the Task Force is on the setting up of a National Biotechnology Regulatory Authority (NBRA) for promotion and regulation of application of biotechnology in agriculture. The matter is in an advanced stage of consideration of the Government.

 

            A scheme for Implementation of Protection of Plant Varieties & Farmers’ Rights Act-2001 has been launched to protect the plant breeders’ rights for stimulating investments in research and development and for facilitating the growth of quality seed industry. The Protection of Plant Varieties & Farmers’ Rights Authority has been set up and has started functioning.     

 

            National Seeds Research and Training Centre (NSRTC) has been established at Varanasi (U.P.) to impart training to the personnel working in the various seed development organisations in the country. In order to promote the use of organic farming in the country, the Department launched a scheme, namely, “National Project on Organic Farming” in October, 2004.

 

Performance of Agricultural Credit

The Government had announced a comprehensive credit policy in June, 2004, envisaging for providing    debt relief to farmers.  Against the target of Rs.1,05,000 crore fixed for 2004-05, the actual flow of credit to the agriculture sector was Rs.1,25,309 crore.    In 2005-06, as against a target of Rs.1, 41,000 crore, the actual disbursement till the end of February, 2006, was Rs.1, 46,687.76 crore.

 

In regard to new farmers covered within the fold of institutional credit, around 78.84 lakh new farmers were financed by the banking system during 2004-05, against a target of 50 lakh farmers. The achievement during 2005-06 is also impressive as about 72.48 lakh new farmers were financed till the end of January, 2006. On the recommendations of a Task Force, constituted under the chairmanship of Prof. A. Vaidyanathan, a package for revival of  short-term rural cooperative credit structure  was finalised involving financial assistance of about Rs.13,596 crore. 

           

Crop Diversification

As a result of appropriate policy measures for crop diversification, the production of oilseeds has reached a record level of 266.97 lakh tonnes during 2005-06.  Regarding individual oilseeds, the production of sunflower and soyabean during 2005-06, have also been estimated at record levels of 14.34 lakh tonnes and 83.55 lakh tonnes.   Production of cotton has also been estimated at a record level of 189.27 lakh bales (of 170 kg each) during 2005-06.

 

 Agriculture Coordination Committee

The Government has set up an Agriculture Coordination Committee in October, 2005, under the chairmanship of   Prime Minister with a view to providing a systematic approach to policy formulation in agri-related areas and to promote coordination and inter-departmental action.

 

Package for districts worst affected by farmers’ suicides

The Government is drawing up a comprehensive package for the districts worst affected by the incidence of suicides by farmers to address   problems in credit, insurance, irrigation and subsidiary home needs through dairy, poultry and horticulture. The issue was discussed by the Agriculture Minister with the Chief Ministers of those States, severely affected by farmers’ suicides, in a conference held on April 10, 2006, at Hyderabad. The package is at present in an advanced stage of finalisation and would be operationalised soon.

 

National Commission on Farmers

The National Commission on Farmers which was originally set up in February, 2004, was reconstituted on November 18, 2004, with the mandate to examine, recommend policies, programmes and measures on various issues confronting Indian farmers and to suggest appropriate interventions for improving the economic viability and sustainability of diversified agriculture, including horticulture, livestock, dairy and fisheries. The Commission has so far submitted four Interim Reports.

 

The recommendations made in these Reports are under examination in consultation with Ministries/ Departments concerned. The Commission is likely to submit its Fifth and Final Report to the Government on or before October 13, 2006.

 

DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY, DAIRYING & FISHERIES

 

The value of output from livestock and fisheries sectors together was about Rs.2,08,027 crore at current prices during 2004-05 (Rs. 1,73,350 crore for livestock sector and Rs. 34,677 crore for fisheries), which is about 35.7 per cent of the value of the output of Rs. 5,82,773 crore from total Agriculture and allied Sectors.

 

Milk and Egg Production

            India's milk output during 2004-05 was 90.7 million tonnes and is expected to reach the level of 94.6 million tonnes during 2005-06.  India continues to be the largest producer of milk in the World.  The per capita availability of milk has increased to 231 gm per day during 2004-05 from 202 gm per day in 1996-97.  The egg production in India was 45.2 billion in 2004-05, and is expected to be 46.1 billion during 2005-06. Currently, India ranks fifth in egg production in the World.

 

Fish and Fish Seed Production

India is now the third largest producer of fish and second largest producer of fresh water fish in the world. During the year 2004-2005, the total fish production was 63.04 lakh tonnes. The fish seed production was 20,810 million fry during the same year.

 

Annual Plan 2006-07

For the year 2006-07, the Department has proposed to implement 22 schemes, including the new centrally sponsored scheme of Livestock Insurance, proposed by the Department as per the objectives of the National Common Minimum Programme and Setting up of “National Fisheries Development Board”. The Planning Commission has agreed to allocate Rs 777 crore for the year 2006-07.

Livestock Insurance scheme was initiated in the year 2005-06 with the aim of providing relief to farmers in case of death of their cattle and buffaloes.  Funds to the tune of Rs. 24.21 crore have been released during 2005-06, to various State implementing agencies for implementing the scheme in 100 selected districts across the country. A provision of Rs.51 crore has been kept for the scheme in the Budget 2006-07.

Centrally Sponsored Fodder Development Scheme

A new Centrally Sponsored Fodder Development Scheme is being implemented from 2005-06, to increase qualitative green and dry fodder and for increasing fodder production. A provision of Rs.26 crore has been kept for the scheme in Budget Estimate 2006-07.

 

Dairy/Poultry Venture Capital Fund

Under the new scheme of Dairy/Poultry Venture Capital Fund being implemented from 2005-06, assistance is provided to the rural beneficiaries through bankable projects. Funds amounting to Rs.15.8 crore have been released to NABARD during 2005-06, to be kept as revolving fund for implementation of the scheme.  Forty-Nine poultry units involving financing of worth Rs 1.97 crore have already been approved.

 

 National Fisheries Development Board

The Department is in the process of setting up a National Fisheries Development Board to bring all activities related to fisheries and aquaculture under single umbrella. An allocation of Rs.151.00 crore has been made in the Budget 2006-07.  A cabinet note in this regard has been circulated among concerned Ministries recently.

 

Coastal Aquaculture Authority Act

         The Coastal Aquaculture Authority Act, which provides for the establishment of a Coastal Aquaculture Authority for regulating the activities connected with coastal aquaculture, was enacted in June, 2005.  The Act would ensure that the Coastal Aquaculture is not detrimental to the environment and has no adverse effect on the people living in the coastal areas.

 

National Veterinary Biological Products Quality Control Centre

         In order to assess the quality of vaccines and biologicals, a National Veterinary Biological Products Quality Control Centre is being set up at Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh.  The construction work of the Centre is under progress.

 

Containment of Bird Flu

In view of rapid spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) around the world, India had initiated necessary measures on preparedness, control and containment of Avian Influenza.  An Action Plan was prepared for State Animal Husbandry Departments for control and containment in case of outbreak and was circulated among State governments.  Advisories were issued regularly to State governments on related issues. A Joint Action Group with public health authorities was created and operationalised since Avian Influenza has concerns for both animal and human health. 

 

A Central Strategic Reserve of poultry vaccines has been developed by the Government of India.  A Central Strategic Reserve of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kit (which was finalised in consultation with Health Department for cullers, vaccinators etc.) has also been developed by the Government. 

 

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