Deployment
of one female scientist in every Krishi Vigyan Kendra made compulsory: agriculture
Minister
Agriculture
Ministry decides to celebrate 15th October of every year as Female Farmer Day:
Shri Singh
Indian
Council for Agricultural Research establish a Central Institute for Women in
Agriculture in Bhubaneswar: Agriculture Minister
The net NPA of the NCDC has been nil and
the recovery rate of the loans is more than 99.59%- Shri Singh
The
Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Radha Mohan Singh has
said that it is imperative to provide financial help to Women so as to
strengthen Women cooperatives in the country as there is great potential for
the development and success of Women cooperatives. Shri Singh further said that
if this movement continues, more and more Women will be benefitted through
Women cooperatives. Shri Singh briefed it on a national workshop on the subject
of strengthening of Women cooperatives organized by National Cooperative
Development Corporation (NCDC) in New Delhi, today. Almost 200 Women linked
with cooperatives across the country participated in the workshop and interacted
with each other about different schemes related to Women cooperatives.
Agriculture Minister
stated that there is 1.2 billion Population in India out of which about 70%
Population of India resides in rural areas. Women play an important role in
sowing and harvesting process and in the aftermath scenario as well. Shri Singh
further added that only about 20,014 cooperatives are run by Women out of the 8
lakh cooperatives in the country. Shri Singh said that the Ministry of
Agriculture and Farmers Welfare ascertains partnership of Women in all of its
schemes as well as its programs and earmarks 30% funds for Women. Since,
2013-14, States and implementing agencies have been advised to utilize 10 to
20% of the funds for the livestock owned by Women under the existing Centrally
Sponsored/Central Sector Schemes for the empowerment of them.
In addition to this,
the deployment of one female scientist in every Kendra has been made compulsory
in 668 Krishi Vigyan Kendras spread all over the country. 3.1 lakh female
agriculturists have been trained during 2016-17 by these Krishi Vigyan Kendras
across the country. Apart from this, the participation of Women agriculturists
has been ascertained in different programmes like frontline demonstration and
agricultural demo being conducted by Krishi Vigyan Kendras. Now, the Ministry
of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has decided to celebrate 15th October of
every year as Female Farmer Day. A gender knowledge portal has been developed
for Women farmers in which the data and information related to Women farmers
have been displayed. Apart from this, the Women have been linked actively with
fisheries related activities like collection of fishery seeds, catch of small
fishes, mussel, eatable oaster, collection of marine vegetation, fisheries
Marketing, fisheries processing as well as products development etc. They are
providing training and micro financing for increasing their partnership and
participation in fisheries Sector so that their potentialities might be raised
by organizing them in a cluster resulting in a spirit of inspiration towards
this end.
Shri Singh further
stated that the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC)
specifically aims to provide funds for the production of agricultural yield,
processing, Marketing, storage, export as well as import etc. NCDC provides
financial assistance to Women under the several programmes being run for weaker
sections. NCDC provides loan upto Rs. 50 lakh for programmes related to Women
cooperatives. Further, the schemes above the range of Rs. 50 lakhs enjoy the
loans available on 0.50% and 0.25% less Interest Rate respectively. On this
occasion The Minister said that a Central Institute for Women in Agriculture,
Bhubneshwar has been established for Women agriculturalists by Indian Council
for Agricultural Research. This is the first and only institute for the Women
associated with agriculture in the world.
Thereafter, Shri Radha
Mohan Singh also chaired the 81th meeting of General Council of the National
Cooperative Development Corporation. On this occasion Shri Singh stated that
financial sanctions amounting to Rs. 17,334 crore have been given till 28.02.2017
as well as a sum of Rs. 11,579 crore has been distributed. This amount is
almost double as compared to the distribution target of Rs. 6000 crore this
year. During this period the net NPA of the corporation has been nil and the
recovery rate of the loans is more than 99.59%. Shri Singh congratulated the
Managing Director, NCDC and her team for performing even better during the
current year 2016-17. While expressing his expectations Agriculture Minister said
that NCDC will continue its endeavors for the weaker sections through programmes
related to fisheries, dairy, poultry, handloom, cooperatives concerned with
SC/ST and specifically for the development of the cooperatives located in
North-Eastern region as well as underdeveloped areas.
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