Star News Agency

New Delhi. The Government has finalized a plan for taking up additional crop area under the summer boro and rabi rice in Assam, West Bengal, Bihar and Orissa, green gram in rice fallow in Punjab, Haryana and Western UP and chick pea in rice fallows of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh during rabi season.

Addressing the members of Parliamentary Consultative Committee attached to the Ministries of Agriculture, and Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution here today, Shri Sharad Pawar said that about 1.5 lakh seed minikits have been allocated for popularizing the specific boro and summer rice varieties. He said that about 5 lakh seed minikits of wheat that includes terminal heat tolerant and rust resistance wheat varieties of DBW 17 & PBW-550 and about 30 lakh quintals of seeds minikits of pulses, oilseeds and maize have been distributed to the farmers. Existing seed distribution subsidies under various ongoing schemes have also been enhanced.

Apart from this, periodic visits of national level consultants to the States have also been initiated for catalyzing the efforts of the States in timely placement and distribution of inputs, the Minister informed the Committee. Arrangements for immediate short-term crop loan for the farmers are made and states have been regularly reviewing the credit disbursement in the state level bankers committee meetings, Shri Pawar added.

The Minister said that Government has been regularly monitoring the situation to ensure that there is no difficulty in implementation and coordinated action from all support departments likely fertilizers, irrigation, power and finance is enlisted for timely delivery of inputs of services to the farmers. The Cabinet Secretary and Secretary, Agriculture & Cooperation are holding periodic video conferences with the State Chief Secretaries and Agriculture Production Commissioner to ensure that there is no let up in Government efforts to support the farmers. The Minister also gave details of steps taken by the Government to mitigate the impact of drought.