PravashPradhan
Post News Network
New Delhi, May 11: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Monday urged Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh to increase the Central aid to Orissa under various agriculture schemes. During his meeting here, he expressed his concern over declining central share to the state since 2014-15. He demanded to change the pattern of 50:50 centre and state share.
The Chief Minister highlighted that the state suffered on account of the reduced devolution of resources to the state announced by the 14th Finance Commission.
Panaik has demanded to restore the earlier pattern of Central assistance under importance schemes of agriculture and enhance allocation to the state for agriculture sector in line with the increases effected from 2007-2008 to 2013-2014.
The Chief Minister also sought the intervention of the Union Minister to increase the allocation of fertilizers for the ensuing Kharif season to 10.75 lakh MT.
He also asked for adequate funds to the state for sugarcane development under the National Food Security Mission (NFSM). He added that Orissa has a huge potential for sugarcane plantation which could be extended to cover over 2 lakh hectares.
He also demanded to include six left out districts namely Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada,Jajpur, Bhadrak, Boudh and Jharsuguda under National Horticulture Mission. This apart, the Chief Minister sought to enhance financial assistance to set up cold storages and additional fund from Directorate of Cashew and Cocoa Development to cover 7000 hectares during 2015-16.
The Chief Minister has sought the Union Minister’s intervention in the case of NABARD which has reduced the eligible limit of refinance from 55% to 45% of the grass root level credit for 2015-16.
The Union Minister however has directed the department of fertiliser to allocate as per state’s demand and announced inclusion of Orissa under NFSM to promote cultivation of sugarcane. A high lever team of officials will visit to Orissa to review the development of agriculture in the state, Singh told.
