Question : Cluster for Organic Farming under Namami Gange Projects

(a) whether the Ministry has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation to promote organic farming along the River Ganga to develop clusters for organic farming at Gram Panchayats under the Namami Gange Project;

(b) if so, the details thereof along with the time by which these clusters are likely to be developed for organic farming;

(c) the likely expenditure for the purpose and the manner in which the funds are likely to be mobilised therefor; and

(d) the details of the area of organic farming increased under Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

‡ãðŠãäÓã ??? ????? ?????? ½ãâ¨ããÊã¾ã ½ãñâ À㕾㠽ãâ¨ããè ( SHRI PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)

(a) & (b): A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to promote organic clusters on the banks of Ganga in 5 Ganga basin States namely Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. It is proposed to cover 136 gram panchayats/villages under the programme. National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), Ministry of Water Resources, is in the process of constituting Project Appraisal Committee to scrutinize the proposals received from various State Governments under the guidelines of Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) Scheme. Proposals that have been received from State Governments of Bihar for 309 clusters and from Uttar Pradesh for 959 clusters are being processed by National Mission for Clean Ganga.


Contd…2/-


-2-


(c): Under PKVY scheme, an assistance of Rs14.95 lakhs/cluster is provided for a period of 3 years. The components are mobilization of farmers, PGS certification and quality control, adoption of organic village for manure management and biological nitrogen harvesting through cluster approach, integrated manure management, custom hiring centre (CHC) charges, packing, labeling and branding of organic products etc.

The expected expenditure would be ascertained after finalizing number of clusters.

(d): An area of 143720 ha. (7186x20 ha) is covered under organic farming under Parampargat Krishi Vikas Yojana clusters during the year 2015-16 and 2016-17.





******