A proposal of Rs 168 crore was presented under the National Agriculture Development Plan. In the meeting, 13 proposals covering Rs 91 crore for the year 2013-14 were approved.
Under the programme, work will be conducted for animal husbandry, Mandi Parishad, fishery, dairy, organic food, farming education, Indian Council of Agriculture Research and horticulture department.
A state level meeting of the National Agriculture Development Plan presided over by Chief Secretary Subhash Kumar was held at the Secretariat on Sunday. Union Agriculture Secretary Ashish Bahuguna, Joint Secretary Utpal Kumar Singh and agriculture scientists jointly held a meeting to focus on the compensation for agricultural land and farmers hit by Uttarakhand disaster.
Agriculture Secretary Ashish Bahungha said that the compensation for the disaster-affected agricultural areas should also be done through central schemes like (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) MNREGA. The Principal Secretary Agriculture, Dr Ranbir Singh put forward the details of the damage caused due to the disaster in form of a presentation. Around 20,000 hectares of land in the State have been affected due to the disaster out of which 18,000 hectares of land is in the plains, while 2,000 hectares of land is in the hilly areas.
The sugarcane crop in the Hardwar district has been severely damaged, while vegetables and horticulture crops have been affected in the hilly areas. During the meeting, giving details of livestock, it was informed that due to the disaster, 18,228 animals have died. In the livestock area, compensation of Rs 9.43 lakh has been estimated.
It was informed by the livestock department that during the calamity, animals in disaster-affected areas of Guptkashi, Gaurikund, Govindghaat and Valley of Flower were given medical treatment. Fodder for animals was air dropped through helicopters.
Present in the meeting were Additional Chief Secretary Rakesh Sharma, Principal Secretary Om Prakash, S Ramaswami and other officials.