Convergence of Schemes and Activities for Agricultural Development

Convergence of Schemes and Activities for Agricultural Development

Central and State Governments have designed and executing various schemes since independence aiming at agriculture development. It is learnt that, the growth rate in agriculture has slowed down over the years. The is felt to fill some of the critical investment gaps and scale up some successful schemes and interventions. It is found that, the state investments alone are not sufficient to hike the agriculture growth rate and needs additional investments also from central government to achieve desired growth rate. The Government of India has initiated a scheme called Rastriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) with a grant to incentivise states to invest on agricultural growth.

In order to achieve the maximum benefits from the development programmes/schemes, there is a need for convergence of possible resources or activities in the various programmes. The state departments and the central sector schemes which can play an important role in the convergence are listed below.

Existing State Departments involved in Agricultural Development are:

·  Agriculture

·  Horticulture

·  Soil and Water Conservation

·  Animal Husbandry

·  Sericulture

·  Fisheries

·  Marketing

·  Rural development

Some of the existing Central Schemes for Agriculture Development are:

·  Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana/National Agricultural Development Programmes (RKVY/NADP) - Ministry of Agriculture

·  Watershed Development (WS)

·  National Horticulture Mission (NHM) - Ministry of Agriculture

·  National Food Security Mission (NFSM) - Ministry of Agriculture

·  Extension Reforms (ATMA: Agriculture Technology Mission) - Ministry of Agriculture

·  National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) - Ministry of Rural Development

·  Backward Region Grant Fund (BRGF) - Ministry of Panchayati Raj,

·  Bharat Nirman (BN)

·  SwarnJayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SJSY),

·  Water Resource Scheme (WRS), etc.

In addition to the above mentioned schemes, the State Government schemes also should be looked into while looking for convergence.

The relevant Central Sector Schemes and corresponding objectives/focus are presented in the following Table A. Each objective/focus area is mentioned in the row and relevant central schemes in columns. Each objective is marked with star (*) under appropriate scheme having similar objective to show possibility of convergence.

Table A. Convergence Matrix of Objectives/Focus of Related Schemes/ Programs

Objectives/Focus / NREGS / WS / NHM / RKVY / NFSM / BRGS / Extn.
Ref / BN / SGSY
Employment generation / * / * / *
Livelihoods creation / * / *
Assets creation: Ex. Rural Roads / * / *
Irrigation / *
Electrification grid based / *
Telephones / *
Infrastructure gaps Filling up / *
Repair of Tanks, Irrigation Canals, WB, WC/Harvesting Structures, IFSL / *
Soil & Water conservation. / *
Soil fertility improvement / *
Sustainable Agriculture / *
Yield improvement / * / * / *
Capacity building / * / * / * / *
Income enhancement / * / * / * / * / *

Further, in the following Table B, an indicative list of activities under relevant schemes is presented and possible source of support is marked corresponding to the scheme from which support can be accessed. The present list of activities matrix will give an idea to the concerned personnel about the likely source of budgetary support from different scheme for indicated activity.

242

Table B. Convergence Matrix of key interventions and activities with Related Schemes/Programs

S. No / Head / Activity / NREGA / WS / NHM / RKVY / BRGF / NFSM / WRS / Extn. Ref /
1 / Water Conservation & Harvesting / i) Check Dams / *
ii) Ponds / * / * / * / * / *
iii) Water source creation / *
iv) Any other water Cons.& Harvesting Structures / * / * / * / *
v) Water body renovation (de-silting) / * / * / *
vi) Repairs / * / * / *
2 / Drought management: / i) Afforestation / * / *
ii) Ridge area treatment / * / *
iii) Soil and moisture conservation / * / *
iv) Drainage line treatment / * / *
v) Land development / * / *
3 / Irrigation / i) Minor Irrigation / * / * / *
ii) Micro irrigation / * / * / * / * / * / *
iii) Irrigation Canal work / *
iv) Pump sets / *
4 / Flood: / i) Flood control / * / *
ii) Protection work / * / *
iii) Drainage in water logged area / * / * / * / *
5 / Mechanization: / i) Mechanization- agriculture / * / * / * / *
6 / Seeds-crops: / i) Seed Prod & Distribution / * / *
ii) Seed infrastructure / *
iii) State Seed farms / *
7 / Crop management: / i) Interventions improving soil health / * / * / * / * / *
ii) Nutrient management / *
iii) Major commodities& enterprises / *
iv) Integrated Pest Management / * / * / * / *
v) Integrated Nutrient Management / * / *
vi) Productivity & Production Improvement / * / * / * / *
vii) Organic farming / * / *
viii) Sustainable Agriculture / *
ix) Bio fertilizers / *
8 / Horticulture: / Horticulture: / * / * / * / *
i) Nursery raising / * / * / *
ii) Tissue culture Units / *
iii) Planting material Production & Distribution / *
iv) Seed production Vegetables / *
v) Garden establishment / * / * / *
vi) rejuvenation of old plantation / *
vii) High-tech Horticulture / *
9 / Allied Sectors: / i) Pasture development / * / *
ii) Animal Husbandry / *
iii) Sericulture / *
iv) Bee keeping / * / *
v) Backyard poultry / *
vi) Fisheries / * / *
vii) Energy conservation measures / *
10 / Post harvest: / i) Post harvest management/Process Value addition / *
11 / Marketing: / i) Market development/ Infrastructure / * / *
ii) Export promotion / *
iii) Income/Returns Enhancement / * / * / * / * / *
12 / Rural connectivity: / i) Fair weather road / *
13 / R&D: / i) Research &Development / *
14 / Extension: / i) Infrastructure for Extension / *
ii) Kisan melas/ Exhibitions / * / * / *
iii) Exposure Visits / * / * / *
iv) Exposure visits-International / *
v) Study tours-farmers / * / * / *
vi) Demonstrations / * / * / * / *
vii) Extensions Activities / * / *
viii) Awards / *
ix) Media & Information Technology / *
15 / Capacity Building / i) Capacity Building/Training / * / * / * / *
ii) HRD / *
iii) FFS / * / *
iv) Farm Schools / *
v) Farmers Org./Group formation / * / * / *
vi) Institutional support / * / *
16 / Others: / i) Contract farming / *
ii) Pilot projects / *
iii) Innovative scheme / *
iv) Innovatives-Local / *
v) Entrepreneurship / *
vi) Rural connectivity / *
vii) Land reform beneficiaries Scheme / * / *

Management grid indicating complementarities of schemes, implementing agency, coordinating personal, technical support personal and planning method adopted is presented in the following Table C.

Table C. Management Grids

S.No / Scheme/ Program / Complementarities / Capacity building / Implementing Agency / Coordinating
Personnel / Tech Support personnel / Planning
1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8
1 / NREGS / i.  BRGF
IWMP
RKVY
PMGSY
NHM/MI / No specific allocation for training; use from 4% of total expenditure / GP / DC / No specific grant; use Out of 4% of total expenditure, GRS, Mate, JE / Bottom up
(PRI)
2 / WS
(IWMP) / NREGA/BRGF/MI, NHM, RKVY / 5% of total cost / PIA WC / DC / DWDU/PIA/WDT/WUG / Bottom up (PIA/WC)
3 / RKVY / NREGA/
BRGF/MI/
IWMP / Specific grant for training and capacity building / District / DC / Agriculture Dept+ no extra staff / Bottom up
4 / NHM / NREGS/
MI / Training program @ of Rs.1500/- per farmer trained+ training to Supervisors & Entrepreneurs / District / DC / Dept of horticulture
+ other department for training / TD
(District)
5 / WRS / NHM/NREGS/IWMP / District / DC / TD

242

It is seen from the Table C that, one scheme at a time is selected and presented in second column. Corresponding complementary schemes are presented in column three, to selected scheme from where one can access budgetary support. Allocations for capacity building, especially training of target group, of that scheme are specified in column number four. Responsible implementing agency and coordinating personnel is mentioned corresponding to each relevant scheme.

Scheme wise institutional arrangements from village to district level and planning to execution are presented in the following Table D to give a comprehensive idea for the personnel concerned.

Table D. Existing Institutional arrangements

Level / NREGA / WD / NHM / RKVY / NFSM / Extn.
Reforms
State / Nodal
Agency / SLNA / SHM / SLSC / SFSM / IDWG
District / PD / DWDU / Hort./Agri.
Dept. / Agri. Dept. / Agri. Dept. / ATMA
Block / BDO / PIA / Block AOs/HOs / Block AOs / Block AOs / FIAC/BTT
Panchayat / GP / - / - / - / - / -
Village / - / WC / Agri.Asst. / Agri.Asst. / Agri.Asst. / Agri.Asst.
Farmers / Farmers/
Laborers / UG, SHG / Farmers/
FGs / Farmers / Farmers / FIGs/CIGs

242