(a) whether the Union Government have appointed a Horticulture Technical
Commission for the North-Eastern region;
(b) if so, the salient features of the Technical Commission;
(c) the date on which the Technical Commission was appointed; and
(d) the time by which the Commission is likely to submit its report?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE (SHRI SHRIPAD Y. NAIK)
(a) to (d): No, Sir. Union Government have not appointed a Horticulture
Technical Commission for North Eastern Region. However, Government has
approved a Centrally Sponsored Scheme `Technology Mission for Integrated
Development of Horticulture in North Eastern Region including Sikkim`, on 27th
February, 2001. The salient features of the Scheme are:
An attempt has been made in the technology mission to achieve
convergence and build synergy among numerous ongoing schemes through vertical
and horizontal integration of the existing programmes and bridging the gaps through
appropriate new programmes, to ensure adequate, appropriate, timely and
concurrent attention to all the links in production, post-harvest and consumption
chain. In pursuit of this, the existing schemes of the Department of Agriculture and
Cooperation (DAC), which have been operating for the development of agriculture
but have relevance for horticulture have been converged.
The Technology Mission has 4 mini-missions to address all the Programmes.
Mini Mission-I will concentrate on technology generation and refinement and will be
coordinated by Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Mini-Mission-II aims at
increasing production and productivity. Mini-Mission-III aims at efficient post
harvest management, marketing and export. Both these Mini-Missions will be
coordinated by the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation. Mini-Mission-IV
aims at promotion of processing and processed product, which will be coordinated
by Department of Food Processing Industry.