Malerkotla: Drive begins to increase land under horticulture

The administration has launched a campaign to persuade farmers and entrepreneurs to make optimum use of facilities being provided by the government to promote horticulture in the district.

Involve maximum beneficiaries

Having received guidelines under the National Horticulture Mission Scheme, we advised senior functionaries in the department to prepare a draft plan to involve maximum number of beneficiaries so that area under horticulture cover could be increased according to expectations of the government. — Dr Pallavi, Malerkotla DC

The campaign was launched in pursuance of the latest guidelines received from the office of Punjab Horticulture Minister Chetan Singh Jouramajra regarding bolstering crop diversification and horticulture with the intent to upgrade the economic status of farmers in the region.

Deputy Commissioner Pallavi said an action plan worth Rs 45 lakh to promote horticulture in the district has been prepared. She said personnel headed by the Deputy Director (Horticulture), Dr Nirwant Singh, had been advised to ensure benefits of the plan percolate to beneficiaries without any hassle.

“Having received guidelines under the National Horticulture Mission Scheme, we advised senior functionaries in the department to prepare a draft plan to involve the maximum number of beneficiaries so that area under horticulture cover could be increased according to expectations of the government,” said DC Pallavi. She said traditional farmers were persuaded to enhance their income by adopting horticultural practices.

Setting up of new orchards, cultivation of hybrid varieties of vegetables, mushroom growing, floriculture, vermin-compost manure units, poly-house, net-house, apiculture, low-power tractor, power-tiller, and equipment required for pest control were cited among utilities for which substantial subsidies were available.

The Deputy Commissioner said subsidy up to Rs 14,000 per acre was given to produce quality seeds of the flower crop, whereas subsidy up to 35 per cent was available to set up a cold storage plant, a ripening chamber, an integrated packing house and a refrigerated van.

Sources in the Horticulture Department said the total area under horticulture had expanded and orchard coverage too had shown substantial growth of around 42,500 acres, while orchard coverage increased by 6,500 acres during the tenure of the Aam Aadmi Party government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.