: Mumbai, August 9, 2024

The Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare is implementing cotton development programme under National Food Security Mission (NFSM) in 15 major cotton growing states including Maharashtra from 2014-15 to increase production and productivity of cotton. A special project on cotton entitled ‘Targeting technologies to agro-ecological zones- large scale demonstrations of best practices to enhance cotton productivity’ of ICAR-Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR), Nagpur has been implemented in Maharashtra and seven other states under NFSM during 2023-24 and 2024-25 to enhance productivity of cotton. Under NFSM, thrust has been given on transfer of technology through demonstrations and training in order to extend benefits to the farmers.

Further, the Government of Maharashtra is implementing State sponsored special action plan for productivity improvement and value chain development of cotton for three years since 2022-23 wherein focus is given on productivity enhancement of cotton and capacity building of farmers, strengthening of seed chain, value chain development and convergence with other ongoing schemes like farm pond, irrigation equipment & mechanization.  

The Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), a centrally sponsored scheme is being implemented from 2014-15, for holistic growth of the horticulture sector covering fruits, vegetables, root and tuber crops, mushrooms, spices, flowers, aromatic plants, coconut, cashew and cocoa. All States and UTs are covered under the MIDH scheme.

Under MIDH, for Banana (sucker), assistance is provided @ 40% of the maximum cost of Rs. 2.00 lakh/ha for integrated package with drip irrigation and without integration assistance is @ 40% of the maximum cost of Rs. 0.87 lakh/ha. In case of North Eastern and Himalayan states, Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) areas, Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands, assistance is @50% of cost. In case of Banana (Tissue Culture), assistance is provided @ 40% of the maximum cost of Rs. 3.00 lakh/ha for integrated package with drip irrigation and without integration assistance is @ 40% of the maximum cost of Rs. 1.25 lakh/ha. In case of North Eastern and Himalayan states, TSP areas, Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands, assistance is @50% of cost. The Government of Maharashtra also provides financial assistance for banana cultivation through Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

This was stated by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Ramnath Thakur in reply to an unstarred question at Rajya Sabha today. 

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(Release ID: 2043787)