Dhumal requested the Centre Government to amend the norms of Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna

New Delhi--Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister requested the Centre Government to amend the norms of Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna so that States like Himachal Pradesh which were investing maximum in agriculture sector would become eligible for grants under the yojna. Chief Minister called on the Union Agriculture Minister Shri Sharad Pawar at New Delhi today. Prem Kumar Dhumal pleaded that State was spending around 12% budget on agriculture and allied sector which was very high in comparison to national-level and there is limited scope for further increase of budgetary allocation under this sector. He said that Planning Commission had accepted that states where plan allocation to agriculture and allied sector has already reached to a level of 10% should be automatically eligible for RKVY. He said that parameters of allocation that gives 50% weightage to incremental increase on year to year basis was not fair to States with already higher allocation for agriculture sector and suggested that for such states RKVY assistance be given at level of 50% of the allocation these states make in their plan for agriculture and allied sectors . He pleaded that Planning Commission needed to set up bench mark of previous years allocation in order to ensure that such States do not reduce their plan allocations.

Chief Minister told Union Minister that State Government had formulated a plan to set up Modern Subzi Mandi at Parala in Shimla district under P P P Mode to facilitate the horticulturists and agriculturists from Shimla and Kinnaur district so as to provide them marketing facilities at their nearest point. He said that modern facilities like controlled atmosphere , air conditioners and latest weighing machies etc would be set up in the Mandi and requested the Union Government to provide financial assistance of Rs 50 crore in this regard so as work on it could be expediated soon .
Chief Minister also requested the Union Agriculture Minister to direct the manufactures/suppliers of S.S.P fertilizers to supply the fertilizers up to HIMFED godowns on the pattern of other fertilizers supply and further demanded that SSP Fertilizers should be supplied at notional rake points at Bilaspur, Kullu and Hamirpur. He told that at present the manufacturers were offering the supply at Chandigarh rail head only. He said that allocations of food-grains for APL families of the State was not sufficient and should be increased. He requested the Union Government to increase in current allocation of rice to 21000 MT and also requested that adhoc allocation made from August 2010 should be made permanent so as at least 27 kilo grams of food-grains per ration card holder is provided without any change .He told that Centre Government was allocating food-grains to only 7.43 lakh ration card holders while the State hds 10.97 lakh registered ration card holders . He demanded 38395 MT food-grains to supply 35 KG per ration card per month to 10.97 lakh ration card holders and told that current allocation is only 21608 MT which is sufficient for 21KG per ration card holder per month .He demanded the supply of 5172MT levy sugar per month to provide 700 grams levy sugar per head per month to current population of 73.89 lakhs and added that Government of India was providing only 4704 MT levy sugar per month. He pleaded for continuation of allotting food-grains under special schemes such as open market sale scheme and told that State Government had lifted the entire quantity under special schemes and provided wheat atta in 10 kg pack to all ration card holders @Rs 112/- per pack which has provided relief to common citizens of the State.

Union Agriculture Minister Shri Sharad Pawar assured the Chief Minister that Centre would provide adequate food-grains to the State to meet its demands and will take positive view of all the demands made by State Government soon.

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