SHWETA KAMAT
PANJIM: Goa’s dream of becoming India’s second “100 per cent organic” State received a major setback with the Central government delaying the release of funds to create 50 organic clusters, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government had allotted to the State for the current financial year.
“Goa was looking to become the second State after Sikkim to adopt 100 per cent organic farming. After the Central government announced 50 organic clusters, we had expedited the process to identify the service provider for human resource development and agency for certification,” Agriculture Director Nelson Figueiredo told Herald.
“However, the project has been halted as the Centre is yet to release the first installment. We cannot go ahead, unless there are funds made available,” Figueiredo said, adding that efforts are on to get the funds released as early as possible.
The Centre is implementing a cluster-based programme to encourage organic farming called Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY). Under the scheme, in three years the Centre intends to create 10,000 clusters covering five lakh acres under organic farming.
In April, Goa had been granted 50 clusters, each of 20,000 hectares with an average spending of Rs 11 lakh per cluster. The Centre and State were to share the financial burden on a 60:40 basis. However, the Centre is yet to release the first installment for the project, with the State Agriculture Department making efforts to get the funds.
It is learnt that the Centre’s delay and reluctance to release the funds is due to the former BJP-led government’s reluctance towards organic farming initiatives. The Centre had in 2014-15 allotted four clusters to Goa, however, they were not implemented due to resource issues. An amount of Rs 7 lakh was also released for the purpose.
“I would not like to go into the past. But now, we are serious towards organic farming and want to ensure we go 100 per cent into organic farming,” the director stated.
Under PKVY scheme, groups of farmers would be motivated to take up organic farming. About 50 per cent assistance will be given on cost of organic inputs limited to Rs 10,000 per hectare and maximum up to 2 hectares or Rs 20,000 per beneficiary for all categories of farmers on the use of organic inputs. There will be no liability on the farmers for expenditure on certification.
