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31454
Fri, 11/21/2008 - 14:28
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Cabinet approves packages to dispel farmers` distress
New Delhi, Nov 20 (PTI) In a bid to mitigate severe financial distress faced by farmers in various states, the government Thursday decided to provide financial support of about Rs 765 crore to implement programmes in suicide-prone districts as suggested by top farm scientist M S Swaminathan.
The decision, taken by the Cabinet at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, also includes financial support of Rs 361.55 crore for promoting research on rubber, coffee, cardamom, pepper and tea, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Prithviraj Chavan told reporters here.
The M S Swaminathan Research Foundation's recommendations on providing support for countervailing high price of copper fungicides and banana crop insurance were also approved for financial grants, he said.
Following high level of distress among farmers and a spate of suicides, the government had in 2006 identified 36 districts in several states like Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra, and had decided to put in place a special plan of action for them.
It had also decided to pay special focus on the tribal
plantation farmers of Idukki district in Kerala.
The Chennai-based Foundation was then assigned to study
the problem and recommend measures to mitigate the agrarian
distress among the Idukki farmers.
The Cabinet also gave in-principle nod for need-based
additional allocations to the ministries and departments
concerned to implement measures included in the package,
subject to norms and approval of authorities, he said.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs Thursday also
approved the allocation of Rs 2,276.65 crore to strengthen
agricultural education during the 11th Plan period (2007-12).
The funds include Rs 1,125 crore for the strengthening of
agricultural universities, Rs 421.95 crore for modernisation
of agricultural university farms, Rs 216.70 crore for human
resource development and excellence and Rs 250 crore for
experimental learning.
The CCEA has also approved an outlay of Rs 499.07 crore
for the creation and maintenance of infrastructure in Central
Agriculture University at Imphal and seven of its constituent
colleges in Manipur, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim.
PTI
The decision, taken by the Cabinet at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, also includes financial support of Rs 361.55 crore for promoting research on rubber, coffee, cardamom, pepper and tea, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Prithviraj Chavan told reporters here.
The M S Swaminathan Research Foundation's recommendations on providing support for countervailing high price of copper fungicides and banana crop insurance were also approved for financial grants, he said.
Following high level of distress among farmers and a spate of suicides, the government had in 2006 identified 36 districts in several states like Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra, and had decided to put in place a special plan of action for them.
It had also decided to pay special focus on the tribal
plantation farmers of Idukki district in Kerala.
The Chennai-based Foundation was then assigned to study
the problem and recommend measures to mitigate the agrarian
distress among the Idukki farmers.
The Cabinet also gave in-principle nod for need-based
additional allocations to the ministries and departments
concerned to implement measures included in the package,
subject to norms and approval of authorities, he said.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs Thursday also
approved the allocation of Rs 2,276.65 crore to strengthen
agricultural education during the 11th Plan period (2007-12).
The funds include Rs 1,125 crore for the strengthening of
agricultural universities, Rs 421.95 crore for modernisation
of agricultural university farms, Rs 216.70 crore for human
resource development and excellence and Rs 250 crore for
experimental learning.
The CCEA has also approved an outlay of Rs 499.07 crore
for the creation and maintenance of infrastructure in Central
Agriculture University at Imphal and seven of its constituent
colleges in Manipur, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim.
PTI
