Chapter-1 Introduction

Farm Sector Initiatives-

A potential of ` 2328 crore for crop loan (29%) and ` 1228 crore for agriculture term loan (15%) (` 19 crore, ` 18 crore, ` 235 crore, ` 99 crore, `10 crore, ` 303 crore, ` 38 crore, ` 31 crore, ` 11 crore, ` 215 crore, ` 2 crore, ` 95 crore, and ` 152 crore for water resources, land development, farm mechanization, plantation and horticulture, forestry/waste land development, dairy development, poultry development, sheep/ goat/ pigerry development, fisheries, godowns/ market yards, renewal source of energy waste utilization, food and agro-processing and for others respectively) has been identified in the state for 2012-13.

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  As on 30.11.2011, a total of 31 projects for a total of ` 1.96 crore have been sanctioned under Farmers’ Technology Transfer Fund. Set up of Farmers' Training and Rural Development Centers, by major Commercial Banks out of the fund, can also be considered.
  
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  During 2010-11, 1353 Farmers Clubs have been formed in the state. For the upcoming financial year a target of formation of 500 new FCs has been allocated against which 417 FCs have been promoted as on 30.11.2011.
  
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  6 innovative farm projects are also on-going involving a total grant of ` 64.99 lakh under RIF. These projects are for Agri Business Development, Pauri; Off-season Vegetable, Pithoragarh; Integrated production of spices, Champawat; Integrated farming at high Altitude for Vegetable and Vegetable seed production, Tehri; and Integrated model of farming, Pithoragarh.
  
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  3 tribal development projects are under implementation in Pithoragrah (covering 700 tribal families with assistance of ` 194 lakh); Dehradun (covering 700 tribal families with assistance of ` 224 lakh); and in Uttarkashi (covering 600 tribal families with assistance of ` 199 lakh).
  
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  Phase I of Village Development Plan covering 17 villages in 9 districts is over in the state. Phase II has been initiated in 2010-11 covering 38 villages in 10 districts. All these villages are identified under AAGS of the State Government.
  
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  Nainital and Pithoragarh have been identified for implementation of Pilot Project for Technology Transfer, Credit Counseling and Market Advocacy for 2 years (2010-11 to 2011-12) with grant assistance of ` 9 lakh/ project.
  
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  3 farm clusters are also on going in the state including Off-season Vegetable and Organic farming cluster, Pithogarh; Off-season Vegetable cluster, Almora; and Off-season and protected vegetable cultivation, Nainital.
  
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  2 Umbrella Programme on Natural Resource Management had been sanctioned in the state till now- ‘Community Based Medicinal Plants Enterprises, Institutionalization of Rural Supply Chain and Market’ in Uttarkashi with assistance of ` 93 lakh (` 78 lakh loan; ` 15 lakh grant); and ‘Promoting Beekeeping/ Honey Processing Value Chain Through Integration of Primary Producers’ in Tehri, Rudraprayag, Uttarkashi, and Chamoli with assistance of ` 103 lakh (` 88 lakh loan; ` 16 lakh grant).
  
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  As on 30.11.2011, 16 farm innovation and promotion projects have been sanctioned in the state, financed through Farm Innovation and Promotion Fund (grant of ` 129 lakh; loan of ` 50 lakh). Of these, 7 projects have been completed and 9 are on-going-1 project each in Rudraprayag, Almora, Champawat and 2 projects each in Bageshwar, Uttarkashi, and Dehradun.
  
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  6 Watershed Development Programmes (WDP) are implementing under various stages covering a total area of 6278.15 ha.- 2 projects each in Pauri and Tehri; and 1 project each in Rudraprayag and Uttarkashi. 5 ongoing WDPs are sanctioned upto September 2011-12 covering a total area of 3731.76 ha.; one each in Bageshwar, Tehri and Dehradun; and 2 in Pauri.
  
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  A fund titled "Producers Organization Development Fund" with an initial corpus of ` 50 crores, operational w.e.f. 01.04.2011, has been established to provide focused attention for development of producers organizations and to provide them end-to-end solutions for their requirements so as to transform them to sustainable business entities.
  
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  Under Agricultural Debt Waiver and Debt Relief Scheme total 133402 farmers were benefited and an amount of ` 209.98 crore of loans was waived whereas a debt relief of ` 32.73 crore was extended since 2008.
  
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  As on 30.09.2011, against approx. 9 lakh cultivators in the State, Kisan Credit Cards have been issued to 6.61 lakh farmers by banks/PACS (36.86% by Commercial banks, 54.53% by cooperative banks and 8.61% by RRBs).