Lok Sabha Question No. 353 (STARRED), answered on 2026-03-17
Subject: Clean Plant Programme
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Bastipati Nagaraju

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 353

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 17 TH  MARCH, 2026

## CLEAN PLANT PROGRAMME

*353.  SHRI BASTIPATI NAGARAJU:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष और िकसान कʞाण मंũी be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of farmers who have benefitted from the Clean Plant Programme in the country, State/UT-wise and particularly district-wise for the State of Andhra Pradesh;
- (b) the details of the funds allocated under the said scheme, year-wise and State/UTwise;
- (c) the details  of  the  criteria  used  by  the  Government  for  site  selection  of  the establishment of Clean Plant Centres across the country along with funds allocated;
- (d) whether the  Government  proposes  to  expand  the  number  of  Clean  Plant  Centres across the country, if so, the details including the proposed sites, timeline of implementation and financial outlay and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (e) the  details  regarding  the  steps  being  taken  to  directly  involve  and  benefit  women farmers under this Programme especially in terms of training, leadership roles and access to certified planting material; and
- (f) the details regarding the current physical progress of nursery infrastructure developed under this Programme in the country, State/UT-wise?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष और िकसान क̵  याण मंũी (SHRI SHIVRAJ SINGH CHOUHAN)

- (a) to (f): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN RESPECT OF PARTS (a) TO (f) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 353 FOR 17 TH  MARCH, 2026 REGARDING CLEAN PLANT PROGRAMME

(a): The  Clean  Plant  Programme  envisages  production  of  disease  free  elite  planting material  through  the  Clean  Plant  Centres  (CPCs).    CPCs  are  under  implementation  and once  centres  become  functional,  farmers  will  get  supply  of  disease-free  certified  planting material  produced  by  nurseries  supported  under  the  Programme.  As  the  Clean  Plant Centres  are  currently  under  the  process  of  design  and  implementation,  the  question  of farmers benefitting under CPP does not arise.

(b): Clean  Plant  Programme  is  a  Central  Sector  Scheme  with  a  total  outlay  of          Rs. 1,765.67  crore,  which  includes  50  percent  financing  through  a  loan  from  the  Asian Development Bank (ADB). The Programme does not provide for State/UT-wise or year-wise allocation  of  funds.  The  major  components  of  expenditure  include  establishment  of  nine Clean  Plant  Centres,  support  for  75  nurseries,  implementation  of  a  planting  material certification  system,  and  activities  related  to  capacity  building,  training,  and  awareness generation.  Output-wise and component-wise allocation of funds is given in Annexure-I & II , respectively.

(c): The  sites  for  establishment  of  Clean  Plant  Centres  have  been  identified  in  cropspecific  institutions  of  the  Indian  Council  of  Agricultural  Research  (ICAR)  because  of inherent  crop  specific  expertise  available  with  them  e.g.  for  Grapes  National  Research (NRC) for Grapes, Pune; for Pomegranate - NRC Pomegranate, Solapur, for Citrus - CCRI, Nagpur etc.  The selection criteria includes the availability of suitable technical infrastructure and  scientific  expertise  in  the  identified  crop,  existing  research  capacity  in  plant  health, tissue  culture  and  disease  diagnostics,  regional  importance  and  concentration  of  the targeted  horticulture  crops,  and  the  capacity  of  the  host  institution  to  support  long-term maintenance and multiplication of clean planting material. Funds under the Programme are allocated component-wise for establishment and operation of the Clean Plant Centres. The detail of Nine (9) Clean Plant Centres are given at Annexure-III .

(d): Under  the  Clean  Plant  Programme,  nine  Clean  Plant  Centres  are  proposed  to  be established at identified crop-specific ICAR institutions across the country. At present, the Programme  has  been  designed  with  these  nine  Centres  and  there  is  no  proposal  for expansion of the number of Clean Plant Centres.

- (e): The  Programme  includes  components  related  to  capacity  building,  training,  and awareness  generation  aimed  at  promoting  the  adoption  of  certified  and  disease-free planting material among farmers, including women farmers. As the Clean Plant Centres are currently under the process of design and implementation, the question of women farmers benefitting under CPP does not arise.
- (f): The guidelines for providing financial support for establishment of nurseries under the Clean Plant Programme are currently under preparation therefore the question of nursery infrastructure being supported does not arise.

## Annexure-I referred in reply to part (b) of the Lok Sabha starred Question No. 353 for Answer on 17.03.2026 regarding 'Clean Plant Programme'

## Output-wise allocation of funds

|    | Summary of Cost Estimates                                                                                                            | INR (Crores)   |
|----|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|
| A  | Base Cost (Investment cost + Recurrent cost)                                                                                         |                |
|    | 1. Output 1: Institutional and regulatory frameworks, and knowledge networks for clean plant program established and operationalized | 81.94          |
|    | 2. Output 2: Clean plant centers established and operationalized                                                                     | 747.56         |
|    | 3. Output 3: Certified clean planting materials produced by accredited nurseries                                                     | 478.20         |
|    | Subtotal (A)                                                                                                                         | 1307.70        |
| B  | Contingencies                                                                                                                        | 291.37         |
| C  | Financial charges during implementation                                                                                              | 166.60         |
|    | Total (A+B+C)                                                                                                                        | 1765.67        |

## Annexure-I referred in reply to part (b) of the Lok Sabha starred Question No. 353 for Answer on 17.03.2026 regarding 'Clean Plant Programme'

The financial targets are delineated component-wise, as under, to ensure efficient allocation and utilization of resources throughout the duration of the programme:-

|    |                                         | INR (Rs. in Crore)   | INR (Rs. in Crore)   | INR (Rs. in Crore)   |
|----|-----------------------------------------|----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
|    | Major Heads                             | Foreign Exchange     | Local Currency       | Total Cost           |
| A  | (A1) Investment Costs                   |                      |                      |                      |
|    | 1. Civil works                          | 20.32                | 386.03               | 406.34               |
|    | 2. Design and build                     | 2.09                 | 39.70                | 41.79                |
|    | 3. Consultancy services                 | 3.46                 | 142.54               | 146.00               |
|    | 4. Capacity building                    | 4.24                 | 80.48                | 84.72                |
|    | 5. Equipment and materials              | 20.03                | 180.30               | 200.33               |
|    | 6. Nursery matching grants              | -                    | 272.15               | 272.15               |
|    | Subtotal (A1)                           | 50.13                | 1101.20              | 1151.31              |
|    | (A2) Recurrent Costs                    |                      |                      |                      |
|    | 1. Salaries and allowances              | -                    | 45.00                | 45.00                |
|    | 2. Operation and maintenance            | 10.25                | 101.13               | 111.38               |
|    | Subtotal (A2)                           | 10.25                | 146.12               | 156.38               |
|    | Total Base Costs (A)                    | 60.38                | 1247.32              | 1307.70              |
| B  | Contingencies                           |                      |                      |                      |
|    | 1 Physical                              | 5.27                 | 69.83                | 75.10                |
|    | 2. Price                                | 10.01                | 206.26               | 216.27               |
|    | Subtotal (B)                            | 15.28                | 276.09               | 291.37               |
| C  | Financial charges during implementation |                      |                      |                      |
|    | Interest during implementation          | -                    | 162.24               | 162.24               |
|    | Commitment charges                      | -                    | 4.36                 | 4.36                 |
|    | Subtotal (C)                            | -                    | 166.60               | 166.60               |
|    | Total Project Cost (A+B+C)              | -                    | 1690.01              | 1765.67              |

## Annexure-I referred in reply to part (c) of the Lok Sabha starred Question No. 353 for Answer on 17.03.2026 regarding 'Clean Plant Programme'

The Details of Nine (9) Clean Plant Centres are as under:

|   S.No. | ICAR institute                                        | Location                | Proposed target crops                                  |
|---------|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|
|       1 | National Research Center for Grapes (NRCG)            | Pune, Maharashtra       | Grapes                                                 |
|       2 | Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR)     | Bangalore, Karnataka    | Mango, Guava, Dragon Fruit, Avocado                    |
|       3 | Central Citrus Research Institute (CCRI)              | Nagpur, Maharashtra     | Citrus                                                 |
|       4 | Central Institute for Temperate Horticulture (CITH)   | Mukteshwar, Uttarakhand | Apple, Almond, Walnut, Berries, other temperate fruits |
|       5 | National Research Center on Pomegranate (NRCP)        | Solapur, Maharashtra    | Pomegranate                                            |
|       6 | Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture (CISH) | Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh  | Mango, Guava, Litchi                                   |
|       7 | Central Institute of Arid Horticulture (CIAH)         | Bikaner, Rajasthan      | Citrus                                                 |
|       8 | ICAR - CISH, Regional Station                         | Malda, West Bengal      | Mango, Guava, Litchi, Avocado                          |
|       9 | Central Institute for Temperate Horticulture (CITH)   | Jammu and Kashmir       | Apple, Almond, Walnut, Berries, other temperate fruits |

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