Rs.350 lakhs for Vegetable production in Sikkim by GoI

GANGTOK, 03 Feb: The Horticulture and Cash Crop Development Department organised two days training programme for Progressive Farmers under Vegetable Initiative for Urban Cluster (RKVY) at the SAMETI Hall, Tadong near ICAR. Under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, Vegetable Initiative for Urban Cluster will be launched in major urban centres for implementation of vegetable initiative. This year, Government of India has earmarked a sum of Rs 350 lakhs for vegetable initiatives for Sikkim, for which Gangtok and Namchi has been chosen. As per this programme, vegetable seeds of seasonal, off seasonal, Rabi and Kharif will also be provided. A total of fifty progressive farmers of East District are participating in this training programme.
Minister for Agriculture and Horticulture, D.N. Takarpa in his inaugural address mentioned that Vegetable Initiatives for Urban Cluster is a National programme. Till date, the state has been emphasizing vegetable initiatives in rural areas and under this programme urban areas like Gangtok and Namchi will also be benefitted.  Sikkim is fortunate to be endowed with a variety of climatic zones which have a potential of growing a wide range of horticultural crops. Therefore, interest has to be cultivated amongst the farmers in enhancing production so that the demand of the state is mitigated from the state itself, he added.  The Minister also stated that this programme will not only fulfill both demand and supply in vegetable sector but will also increase the income of the farmers as well.
The Secretary, Agriculture and Horticulture, Vishal Chauhan in his address informed that Vegetable Initiatives for Urban Cluster is designed to increase vegetable production and productivity and marketing of the produce through farmers’groups. The scheme, he informed, is to be implemented in two towns of the state with focus on cluster vegetable production and income for the farmers as well as assured supply to consumers.  He also emphasized on the formulation of Farmers Interest Group so that it was easier to provide training and marketing also.
 While presenting the welcome address, Principal Director Horticulture, D.K. Rai appraised that there were 95 Farmers Producers Organisations in East and 75 Farmers’ Producers’ Organisations in South District out of which 1020 farmers in East and 750 in South will be selected.  Under this programme, a baseline survey has also been done by the Indian Gramin Service and NELSON Org for 700 hectares of land in East district and 300 hectares in South District.
 The inaugural programme was followed by the technical session whereby the Resource Persons from Indian Gramin Service and officials informed on package and practices of Kharif vegetables, nursery management and pest and disease control.
On the second day the participants are to be familarised with tools and equipments, nursery bed preparartion and seedling raising technique at Tadong Bamboo Nursery.