The State government of Chennai will implement a new scheme to produce fruit and vegetables free of pesticide residues, by employing integrated pest management techniques, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa announced in the Assembly on Wednesday 31 August.
She said the scheme would be implemented on about 127,000 acres at a cost of Rs. 100 million.
The government would give 80 per cent subsidy to farmers for solar-powered pump sets, she said. As promised in her party’s election manifesto, Ms. Jayalalithaa also expanded the scope of integrated farm development on dry lands to 20,055 acres at a cost of Rs. 211 million.
Tractors, multi crop threshers, rotary drills and other equipment will be acquired at a cost of Rs. 214.3 million and made available to farmers on a rental-basis, she said, adding that subsidy to the tune of Rs. 310 million will be given to farmers to purchase equipment.
A sum of Rs. 160 million has been earmarked for cultivating capsicum, cucumber, and tomato, as well as several flowers in greenhouses on about 350,000 acres.
A 50 per cent subsidy would be given to farmers.
While existing horticulture farms will be modernised at a total cost of Rs. 58.3 million in Cuddalore, Kancheepuram, Tiruchi, Namakkal, Vellore and Dindigul districts, new horticulture farms will be set up in Tirupur, Ariyalur and Nagapattinam districts this year at a cost of Rs. 20 million.
(1 Indian Rupee=0.015 USD)
Source: thehindu.com