Implementation of Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture, says Narendra Singh Tomar

Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented from 2014-15 for holistic development of horticulture in the country, covering fruits, vegetables, root and tuber crops, mushrooms, spices, flowers, aromatic plants, coconut, cashewand  cocoa. All States/UTs are covered under MIDH.

Under MIDH, financial & technical assistance is provided to States/UTs for following major interventions/activities:

1. Setting up of nurseries, tissue culture units for production of quality seed and planting material.
2. Area expansion i.e. Establishment of new orchards and gardens for fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
3. Rejuvenation of unproductive, old, and senile orchards.
4. Protected cultivation, i.e. poly-house, green-house, etc, to improve the productivity & grow off season high value vegetables and flowers.
5. Organic farming and certification.
6. Creation of water resources structures and watershed management.
7. Bee-keeping for pollination.
8. Horticulture Mechanization.
9. Creation of Post Harvest Management and Marketing infrastructure.
10. Training of farmers.

Mission is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme being implemented through State Governments, where the subsidy is shared between the Central Government and State Governments in the ratio of 60:40 in all the states other than North Eastern and Himalayan states, where the pattern of assistance is shared in the ratio of 90:10.  Hence, the active support of State Governments is paramount for the success of Mission. Under the Mission, funds are released to the State Horticulture Missions (SHMs) through State Finance Department/ Treasury. Many SHMs have told about considerable delay in receipt of funds released under the Scheme from the State Finance Department/ State Treasury.

State-wise details of number of farmers trained under MIDH since inception i.e. from 2014-15 to 2021-22 is as under:

Source: as reported by States

This information was given by the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.