NEW DELHI, Oct 27:
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) today approved Rs 500-crore special horticulture package to Jammu and Kashmir to help apple growers rejuvenate old orchards and start new ones.
This is part of the Rs 80,000-crore package announced for the State in November last year by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to develop infrastructure after the 2014 floods.
The Centre-State fund sharing norms have been relaxed to 90:10 ratio under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) to implement the PM’s special horticulture package in the State. Out of Rs 500-crore package, the Government of India’s share would be Rs 450 crore and the rest will be borne by the State Government.
The package will help in setting up of 329 hectares of new apple orchards and restoration of 3,900 hectares of damaged ones over three years. Under the package, apple growers will be given financial help in 90:10 for importing planting material at the maximum rate of Rs 460 per plant while funds in the ratio of 50:50 for importing four wire trellis system at the rate of Rs 9.8 lakh per hectare for new apple orchards.
The funding norms have been relaxed to encourage apple growers to import special varieties of plants for better survival, early flowering and enhanced fruiting apple planting materials and four wire trellises system which may increase the productivity 3-4 times.
The revised funds sharing norms under the package will be valid till 2018-19 and will generate employment for up to 20,000 people.
Briefing the media about the Cabinet decision in the presence of Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Union Law and IT Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh hailed the decision taken on personal intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said, this is yet another evidence of the high priority accorded by the Government and personally by the Prime Minister to ensure uninterrupted development and restoration of economic well-being of the people of Jammu & Kashmir.
“The pro-farmer decision taken today is also in keeping with the series of measures announced by the Modi Government with particular emphasis on the welfare of the farmers, agriculturists and horticulturists”, Dr Singh said, adding “today’s decision by the Cabinet will benefit over 21,000 apple growers and apple orcharders located in more than 491 villages of Jammu & Kashmir who have faced huge losses in the aftermath of the floods”.
In addition, he said, the package will also enable generation of employment for over 3,300 people in high density apple plantation and for 18,000 to 20,000 people in medium density apple plantation. These initiatives will also result in employment in allied sectors such as grading / packing units, Controlled Atmosphere (CA) / cold storage units, transportation sector, etc, he added.
As the high density plantation also involves technology and regular upkeep of orchards, Dr Jitendra Singh said, “this will result in wage enhancement and overall horticulture sector growth due to increase in the farmer’s income as a result of increased productivity”.
Giving details of the package, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister decided on the import of planting material at the maximum rate of Rs 460 per plant for 329 hectares of new apple orchards and restoration of 3900 hectares of old damaged apple orchards.
In this case, the rate of financial assistance will be 90% i.e. 90% shall be borne by the Government and only 10% by the beneficiary farmer. Similarly, Dr Jitendra Singh said, it was also decided to undertake import of “4-wire trellis” system at Rs. 9.8 lakh per hectare for 329 hectare of new apple orchards. In this case, he says, the rate of financial assistance will be 50% i.e. 50% will be borne by the Government and 50% will be by the beneficiary farmer. Overall, enhanced apple planting and wire trellis system may increase productivity by 3 to 4 times, he added.
Besides the Rs 500 crore from Prime Minister’s package towards restoration of damaged apple orchards and horticulture areas, the Cabinet decision to approve one-time relaxation of Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) cost norms will provide added benefit.
Meanwhile, ahead of Diwali, the Centre approved 2 per cent dearness allowance and relief benefitting about 50.68 lakh employees and 54.24 lakh pensioners.
The decision to provide 2 per cent DA on basic pay was taken by the Union Cabinet and will be effective from July 1, 2016.
The 2 per cent DA will result in annual burden of Rs 5,622.10 crore, though for period of 8 months (July-February in 2016-17), it would be Rs 3,748.06 crore.
The Central Government had increased DA by 6 per cent to 125 per cent in March this year. DA was later merged with the basic pay following the implementation of 7th Pay Commission. (Agencies)
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