Question : NATIONAL HORTICULTURE MISSION

(a) whether the National Horticulture Mission is being implemented by the Government in various States of the country including Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha;

(b) if so, the details thereof, State-wise;

(c) the number of districts in various States which are included under the Mission and the number of farmers benefited under the Mission, State-wise;

(d) the details of the funds allocated by the Government to various States during the last three years and the current year, under the Mission, State-wise; and

(e) the details of the marketing opportunities provided by the Government to the horticulture farmers under the Mission?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE ( SHRI MOHANBHAI KUNDARIA )

(a) to (c):National Horticulture Mission (NHM) has been subsumed under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), which is being implemented in all States/ UTs of the country. A total of three hundred and eighty four (384) districts are covered in 23 States/UTs under the National Horticulture Mission.

State-wise number of districts covered under NHM is at Annexure-I. State Horticulture Missions provide assistance to the concerned beneficiaries/farmers, hence no such information is maintained centrally.

(d): A statement indicating state wise and year wise funds allocated under NHM for the last three years and current year is given at Annexure –II.

(e): For creation of market infrastructure, assistance is available to individuals, group of farmers/growers/consumers, Partnership/Proprietary firms, Self Help Groups (SHGs), Farmers Producer Organizations (FPOs), Companies, Corporations, Cooperatives, Cooperative Marketing Federations, Local Bodies, APMCs & Marketing Boards and State Governments. Assistance under the scheme is provided as credit linked back ended subsidy for setting up terminal markets, wholesale markets, rural markets/apni mandies and retail markets. Assistance is also provided for setting up static/mobile vending carts/platforms with cool chamber. Assistance is also extended for setting up functional infrastructure for collection, sorting/grading, packing etc. During the last three years 561 market infrastructures have been set up under NHM.