SIKKIM SEEKS MORE FUNDS FOR HORTI MISSIN

State seeks more fund from Horti Mission
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network

Imphal, June 14 2009: State Government has requested the Union Ministry of Agriculture for additional funds for setting up of seven more processing units of horticulture products under the Technology Mission for Development of Horticulture in North Eastern region citing that four units have been set up under the mission so far in Manipur.

An official source said that the Union Ministry of Agriculture has been requested for additional allocation of Rs 948.15 lakh including Rs 520.15 lakh for development of organic farming under the mission.

Union Ministry of Agriculture allocated Rs 25 crores for the State of Manipur under the Technology Mission for Development of Horticulture in North Eastern Region including Sikkim during the year 2008-09 .

The State Government has so far utilized Rs 18.50 crores.

So far with the fund, a processing unit set up at Kachai in Ukhrul district for processing of lemons and four units set up under mini-mission programme through the State Industries Department.

The proposal for allocation for additional seven processing units has been submitted under the mini-mission-IV which would be taken up under Farm Handling Component of the mission, the source said.

Technology Mission for Development of Horticulture in North Eastern Region including Sikkim is a Central sector project which aims at establishing convergence and synergy among numerous ongoing governmental programme in the field of horticulture development to achieve horizontal and vertical integration of these programmes in the region among others.

Ensure adequate, appropriate, timely and concurrent attention to all the links in the production, post harvest and consumption chain, maximise economic, ecological and social benefits from the existing investment and infrastructure created for horticulture development, promote ecologically sustainable intensification, economically desirable diversification and skilled employment are also among the objective of the mission.

Generate value addition to promote the development and dissemination of ecotechnologies based on the blending of the traditional wisdom and technology with frontier knowledge such as bio-technology, information technology and space technology; and to provide the missing links in ongoing horticulture development projects also included in objective of the Central sponsored mission.