Lok Sabha Question No. 2022 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-03
Subject: NGOs in Agricultural Sector
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Harish Dwivedi

O.I.H.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2022

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  3 RD  MARCH, 2020

## NGOS IN AGRICULTURAL SECTOR

## 2022.  SHRI HARISH DWIVEDI:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether any financial assistance has been provided to Non-Governmental Organisations  (NGOs)  working  in  the  agricultural  sector  in  the  country  including  Uttar Pradesh;
- (b) if so, the details of the assistance provided during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT and NGO-wise;
- (c) the details of the work done by these NGOs in the agricultural sector; and
- (d) whether the Government proposes to review the functioning of these NGOs and if so, the outcome thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी ( SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a): Normally, assistance to Non - Governmental Organisations (NGOs) associated with agriculture sector is not provided directly by the Government of India. The States are free to provide  such  assistance  under  some  schemes  and  programmes.  Government  of  Uttar Pradesh  has  been  providing  financial  assistance  to  Non  Governmental  Organizations (NGOs).

Under  the  Centrally  Sponsored  Schemes  of  Mission  for  Integrated  Development  of Horticulture  (MIDH)  funds  are  released  to  State  Governments.  However,  under  National Horticulture Mission (a sub-scheme of MIDH), National Horticultural Research and Development  Foundation  (NHRDF),  Delhi,  an  NGO  has  been  declared  as  National  Level Agency  for  monitoring  programmes  relating  to  development  of  vegetables  and  vegetable seeds. NHRDF was established by National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of

India  Ltd.  (NAFED)  and  Associate  Shippers  on  3rd  November  1977  and  registered  under Society  Registration  Act,  1860  at  New  Delhi  for  carrying  out  Research  and  Development activities including seed production of export oriented horticultural crops especially onion and garlic.  The  sources of income of NHRDF otherwise include incomes from seed production and  distribution,  service  charges  being  received  from  its  laboratory  services  along  with consultancy  and  interest  being  received  from  the  Corpus  Fund  kept  as  fixed  deposit  in nationalized banks.

(b): Under  Centrally  sponsored  Paramparagat  Krishi  Vikas  Yojana  (PKVY),    there  is provision to hire service provider (NGO) empanelled as a Regional Council on 'PGS-India Organic Certification Portal' mentioned by ' National Centre of Organic farming, Ghaziabad'. Three  NGOs  namely  (Participatory  Rural  Development  Foundation  Gorakhpur).  APOF Organic  Certification  Agency  Pune  and  Jalpaigudi  Vivekanad  Education  Society  (JVES) Kolkata have been selected as service provider from PGS-India Portal in 2017-18 for three years till 31.03.2020. Selected NGOs are working at district level in the supervision of Deputy Director  (Agriculture).  Year  wise/NGO  wise  details  of  provided  financial  assistance    is  as under:-

| Year    | Release (Rs. In Lakhs)   |
|---------|--------------------------|
| 2016-17 | 52.63800                 |
| 2017-18 | 598.92000                |
| 2018-19 | 493.83375                |
| 2019-20 | Not yet finalized        |

The details of financial assistance provided to NHRDF under MIDH, based on their approved Annual Action Plan is as given under: -

| Year    |   Release (Rs. in Crore) |
|---------|--------------------------|
| 2016-17 |                     10   |
| 2017-18 |                     10   |
| 2018-19 |                      5.5 |
| 2019-20 |                      0   |

(c): No  such  data  maintained  in  this  Ministry.  However,  Government  of  Uttar  Pradesh informed  that  exposure  visit  of  member  of  cluster  to  Organic  Farming,  training  on  PGS (Participatory  Guarantee  System  of  India)  Certificating  to  Lead  Resource  Person,  process documentation of conversion into organic methods, inputs used, cropping pattern followed, organic manures and fertilizers used etc., online registration of farmers, Residue analysis of samples  in  NABI,  Packing  material  with  PGS  logo+Hologram  printing  and  Conducting Organic Fairs.

(d): Regular meetings under the aegis of Deputy Director (Agriculture) at district level and Project Officer at Directorate level are being conducted.  Total 31000 PGS-India Green and 28750 PGS-India Organic certificates have been generated by the said NGOs as per PGSIndia  Portal  report  and  total  31000  acres  area  has  been  brought  under  organic  cultivation within stipulated time.

Funds released under the scheme to NHRDF is subject to annual audit as per the extant  financial  rules.  Joint  Inspection  Teams  (JIT)  comprising  of  NHM,  State  Horticulture Mission and other authorities undertake field visits periodically to verify the status of work as per the approved action plan. The work of NHRDF is also reviewed in the beginning of each financial year in the Executive Committee Meeting of MIDH.

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