THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
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(a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
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STATEMENT IN RESPECT OF PARTS (a) to (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 205 TO BE ANSWERED ON 3RD AUGUST, 2021 REGARDING
“PROPAGATING NEW PLANT VARIETIES”
(a) & (b): Yes, Sir. The National Agricultural Research System (NARS) comprising of Institutes of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), and State and Central Agricultural Universities including Indian Agricultural Research Institute (Pusa), New Delhi are involved in development and propagation of new high yielding and biotic/abiotic stress tolerant varieties of field and horticultural crops. During last 7 years (2014 up to Jan 2021), 1575 varieties of 75 field crops and 288 varieties of 58 horticultural crops were developed (Annexure-I) which include 21 varieties of fruits. Mandate of ICAR Institutes and Agricultural Universities is mainly research, yet for promoting the newly released varieties of fruit crops, during 2019 and 2020, total 744.73156 lakh planting material were propagated and distributed to the farmers by Agricultural Universities, ICAR Institutes and their Krishi Vigyan Kendras (Annexure-II) including 83049 plants of 12 fruit crops propagated by IARI (Pusa Institute), New Delhi and its Regional Stations. During the same period 87212 mother plants of different fruit crops were also propagated and distributed to various nurseries for further multiplication of planting material.
(c) ICAR has a strong network of All India Coordinated Research Projects (AICRPs)/ All India Network Projects (AINPs), coordinated by commodity Institutes, which are operational in the various Central and State Agricultural Universities and ICAR Institutes and focusing on innovative research on developing new varieties seed of field and horticultural crops. Presently 44 AICRPs/AINPs of field and horticultural crops are taking up innovative research to address and resolve intricate agricultural problems of national and regional significance and evaluation of technologies through 50 SAUs/CAUs/DUs and 55 ICAR Institutes across the country at 1017 locations (Annexure-III).
(d) Data of registered nurseries remains with states; however operational nurseries are accredited by National Horticulture Board for a period of two years. Since 2009-10 to July, 2021, National Horticultural Board (NHB) has accredited 691 eligible operational plant nurseries across 17 States. The details of State-wise accredited plant nurseries in the country under NHB Scheme from 2009-10 to July 2021 is given at Annexure-IV. To streamline the information on registered nurseries and display of availability of planting material, a National Portal on Plant Nurseries (http://nnp.nhb.gov.in/) has been launched by National Horticulture Board and data of 1014 nurseries has already been uploaded on the site.
(e) State governments are supporting agricultural research by providing funding to SAUs through plan (25%) and non-plan (100%) research schemes.
Officers of State Department of Agriculture give their feed back during Agriculture Officer Workshops about the various technologies developed and demonstrated in the states. All the outcome of research i.e., recommended varieties, production and protection technologies, seed production and popularization and spread of agricultural technologies are implemented with the involvement of State Department of Agriculture.
Representatives of State Department of Agriculture as members of the Varietal Release Committee play important role in identification and release of new varieties. Breeder and quality seed production is monitored along with the officials of state department of agriculture and the difficulties faced in the seed production of any variety are pointed out by the state department of agriculture which are addressed through research.
ICAR has eight Regional Committees covering all states and UTs. Scientists of ICAR Institutes, Agricultural Universities, KVKs, and officers of States Department of Agriculture participate and discuss various problems being faced by the states in the different areas of agriculture during Regional Committee meetings and programmes are formulated by the Agricultural Universities and ICAR Institutes for addressing these issues.
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