THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS,
FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI KANTILAL BHURIA)
(a) Yes, Sir.
(b) and (c) The Government is implementing a Centrally sponsored Scheme on Macro Management in
Agriculture-Supplementation/Complementation of State efforts through Work Plan. Under this scheme, the State
Governments, have flexibility to take up programmes as per their felt needs and priority. Development of
fruit including grapes is one of the component of this scheme under which assistance is given for production
of fruits. Under this scheme, an amount of Rs. 2265.00 lakh has been provided to the State Government of
Maharashtra for the development of Horticulture during 2004-05.
Besides, National Horticulture Board has provided an amount of Rs. 95.75 lakh to the Nasik district under their
scheme on Development of Commercial Horticulture and Capital Investment Subsidy, under which there is
provision for construction/expansion/modernization of cold storages for horticulture produce.
(d) and (e) The Government has no specific scheme to send a group of experts to assess the potentiality of
grape production and export. However, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development
Authority (APEDA) under the Ministry of Commerce provides financial assistance to its registered exporters
for undertaking study tours, sponsored or organized by APEDA, abroad. In such tours, the assistance is
restricted to 50 per cent of the cost of travel and distribution of study material on the activities which
have correlation to exports.
