Question : NABARD SCHEME FOR POOR FARMERS



(a) whether NABARD has launched any scheme for the poor farmers growing Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in various States including Orissa;

(b) if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the manner in which farmers shall get benefits of this said scheme?

Answer given by the minister


MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE (SHRI NAMO NARAIN MEENA)

(a) to (c): National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has not launched any specific scheme for the poor farmers growing medicinal and aromatic plants in various states including Orissa. However, NABARD has identified promotion of medicinal plants as a thrust area and has taken various initiatives to promote medicinal plant cultivation in the potential pockets throughout the country. These initiatives include conducting awareness programmes, projecting the potential available for medicinal plants in the potential linked district credit plans, conducting capacity building programmes including exposure programmes for the stakeholders, providing grant assistance for dissemination of information to various agencies connected with medicinal plant cultivation and working out the unit cost / scale of finance for potential medicinal plants.

NABARD has also prepared bankable model schemes on medicinal plants which are available in the NABARD`s website www.nabard.org and an area specific bankable model scheme for medicinal plants in Orissa, which has been circulated to all banks.