Parrikar to make Goa self-sufficient in Veg & Milk
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 26 March 2012 23:18 IST
Chief minister Manohar Parrikar has set a target of achieving ambitious six per cent growth rate in agriculture while making Goa self-sufficient in vegetable and milk production.
As per his budget speech, the growth rate under agriculture and allied sector has been substantially low at 1.77 per cent, compared to the 3.26 in 2009-10.
The Planning Commission has been insisting on a minimum annual growth rate of four percent for this sector.
While proposing several incentives in various fields of agriculture, Parrikar claims he would achieve at least six per cent growth rate this year itself, a quantum jump of over four per cent.
He is also envisaging gainful employment of 10,000 in both these sector in rural and tribal areas.
Unfortunately, the budget does not specify any attempt to increase the local vegetable production, except fixing price for all locally grown vegetables and fruits.
They shall be purchased at the price fixed for the entire season, irrespective of the quantity and changes in market price during the year and will be sold at more outlets of Horticulture Corporation, states the budget.
In milk production, he has however introduced a new scheme of providing subsidy on green fodder. Further, cattle feed will be made available to them at reasonable price.
He has also declared a support price of Rs 30 per litre, making budgetary provision from Rs 1.80 crore to Rs 15 crore.
He has also increased provision of Kamdhenu scheme, from Rs 80 lakh to Rs 10 crore.
The other measures declared in the budget for agriculture are:
- frame a new Agricultural Policy by taking into confidence all the stakeholders
- Support price to paddy of Rs 17 per kilogram against the existing support price of Rs 7
- Co-operative societies to be encouraged to set up rice mills, making provision of Rs 100 lakh.
- Assured price of Rs 170 per kilogram of arecanut, a rise of Rs 70
- Support price of Rs 8 per coconut
- 75 per cent subsidy on cashew cultivation
- Provision of Rs 40 crore to supply seed of groundnut
