Chandigarh, May 20, 2013: Punjab to spend Rs 75 crores for implementation of National Horticulture Mission programme in the state. Disclosing this here today Dr. Lajwinder Singh Brar Director Horticulture Department, Punjab said that National Horticulture Mission has approved this grant for the year 2013-14 which would be spent on providing financial assistance to farmers, entrepreneurs, nursery owners as well as interested aspirants of other horticulture related fields as per guidelines of National Horticulture Mission.
Director Horticulture said that state horticulture department is taking concrete steps to crate horticulture friendly atmosphere in the state to bring the state out of the rotten vicious cycle of wheat and paddy. He added that horticulture farming is not just environment friendly but also very useful in saving ground water. He said that Seminars, conferences, workshops, exhibitions, Kisan Mela's, horticulture shows, honey festivals etc would be hosted by the department at state, district and block level for the promotion of horticulture farming.
Dr. Brar said that grant approved by the National Horticulture Mission would be utilised for production of seeds & distribution of vegetables, improve seed infrastructure for handling, processing, packing, storage etc, setting up nurseries, setting up new TC units, establishment of new gardens & expansion of area under fruits, mushrooms, flowers, spices, aromatic plants.
Dr. Brar said that financial assistance would also be given for the creation of water resources in conjunction with NREGS. He added that financial assistance under protected cultivation would also be given for Green Houses, Plastic Mulching, Shade Net House, Plastic Tunnels, Anti Bird/Anti Hall Nets and Poly Houses.
Brar said that financial assistance would also be given for promotion of Integrated Nutrient Management (INM)/ Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and organic farming, Pollination support through beekeeping, Horticulture Mechanisation, Establishment of Marketing Infrastructure for Horticultural Produce.
He said that centre of excellence for fruits, vegetables and treatment of brackish water would also be set up by the sate government.