PANJIM: The state government has decided to scrap the proposal for the formation of the Coconut Development Board, Minister for Agriculture Vijai Sardesai announced on Tuesday.
Sardesai said the government has decided that there is no need of a separate State body as the Central Coconut Development Board under the Union ministry of agriculture and farmers’ welfare implements various schemes for the promotion of coconut production, already exist.
“We have scrapped the proposal for Coconut development board. Why do we require separate board? We can conduct activities under agriculture department,” Minister said while addressing the valedictory function of two-day workshop on ‘prospects of export of vegetables produced by Goan farmers’.
Sardesai said the department has provided subsidy and incentives to coconut. “In due course of time we will be self sufficient. But agriculture is something which can’t be done overnight. It will take at least eight years for being self sustained in agriculture. That is a stop gap period. We can incentivize many things,” he said.
For development and promotion of coconut production, the then Laxmikant Parsekar led government had proposed formation of state coconut development board in 2016.
Meanwhile, right from inviting Hindi film actor Salman Khan to plough the paddy fields to extending benefits under central government sponsored scheme to the farm labourers, Sardesai said all efforts should be made to get youth to farming and make the profession viable for the younger generation.
“Goa is the state which has maximum agricultural reforms in the whole country, yet our youths are not going towards agriculture. May be because there is no glamour to it, so we will have to get glamour to it,” Sardesai said.
