Northeast gets Rs 100 crore to boost rice output this year

New Delhi: The government on Thursday said it has sanctioned Rs 100 crore to boost rice cultivation in the eight north-eastern states, including Sikkim, this year under a central-scheme National Food Security Mission(NFSM).

NFSM was launched during 2007-08 to enhance production of rice, wheat and pulses to make the country self-sufficient in food grains. The scheme has been continued in the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17) as well.

"The north-eastern states of the country are getting Rs 100 crore this year from the Agriculture Ministry for supporting various activities relating to rice cultivation under the NFSM," an official statement said.

All the 8 NE states, including Sikkim, are under the NFSM-rice scheme this year. Till 2011, only Assam was under it.

All the eight north-eastern states, including Sikkim, are being covered under the NFSM-rice scheme this year. Till last year, only Assam was covered under the scheme, it said.

Of the total allocation for the 2012-13 fiscal, as much as Rs 30.94 crore has been sanctioned to Assam, Rs 21.88 crore to Tripura, Rs 11.87 crore to Nagaland, Rs 11.45 crore to Manipur, Rs 7.36 crore to Arunachal Pradesh, Rs 7.31 crore to Mehgalaya, Rs 3.8 crore to Mizoram and Rs 0.89 crore to Sikkim, it added.

"The interventions planned under NFSM are likely to improve rice yield, which is low in the northern-eastern states. It will also help the states in becoming self-sufficient in rice production," the statement said.

Under the scheme, the states are given assistance for seed distribution, soil management, pest control, machines and tools, training and field demonstrations, among other things.

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