BioVoice News August 2016 Issue 4 Volume 1 | Page 47

qualification in agriculture and allied sectors .
As per the information given by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare , Mr S . S Ahluwalia , since inception of the scheme , 47955 candidates have been trained and 20934 agri-ventures have been established in the country till August 30 , 2016 .
The scheme promotes involvement of agri-preneurs trained under the ACABC scheme in providing advisory and extension services to the farmers in agriculture and allied areas . The agripreneurs trained under ACABC scheme are actively involved in providing advisory and extension services to the farmers on various technologies including soil , health , cropping practices , plant protection , post harvest technology etc .
HORTICULTURE PRODUCTION IN INDIA ON ROLL , GROWS 7 % ANNUALLY
India has witnessed voluminous increase in horticulture production over the last few years . After the launch of National Horticulture Mission ( NHM ) in 2005-06 , significant progress has been made in area expansion under horticulture crops resulting in higher production . Over the last decade , the area under horticulture grew at an average rate of 2.7 percent per annum and annual production increase at an average rate of 7.0 percent per annum . This was revealed by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare , Mr Parshottam Rupala in the Parliament on August 02 , 2016 .
For holistic growth of the horticulture sector covering fruits , vegetables , root and tuber crops , mushrooms , spices , flowers , aromatic plants , coconut , cashew , cocoa and bamboo , Government has launched Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture ( MIDH ), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme during XII Plan w . e . f . 2014-15 . The Mission subsumes the earlier missions like National Horticulture Mission ( NHM ), Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan States ( HMNEH ), National Bamboo Mission ( NBM ), National Horticulture Board ( NHB ), Coconut Development Board ( CDB ) and Central Institute for Horticulture ( CIH ), Nagaland . All States and UTs are covered under MIDH .
CIC SENDS STERN REMINDER TO ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY ON GM MUSTARD DATA
Adding another twist to the already tangled story of the genetically modified ( GM ) Mustard , is the latest show cause notice to two union environment ministry officials by the Central Information Commission ( CIC ). This comes four months after CIC asked the environment ministry to release the biosafety data on the trials of GM mustard to the public to ensure that confidential information is in the public domain .
Mr M Sridhar Acharyulu , CIC has now issued show-cause notices for not disclosing information on a genetically modified mustard crop in violation of his an earlier order in this regard .
Through the notice , CIC has asked Ms P Saranya and Ms Madhumita Biswas , to reply why the maximum penalty should not be imposed against each of them for non-compliance with the Right to Information Act . The officers under scanner had sought extension without putting forward any substantive reason and failed to offer any specific time for furnishing the same , said the CIC notice .
The CIC order that was issued on August 12 mentioned , “ The commission has every authority to enforce the RTI of appellant ( an anti-GM activist ), which was violated by these two officers , by not complying with the orders of CIC , and also breached their own undertaking to give the information within two months ."
1 RUPEE INVESTED IN ANIMAL HUSBANDRY GIVES BACK 3 IN RETURN
As per the Secretary , Department of Animal Husbandry , Dairying and Fisheries , Mr Devendra Choudhry , all the sectors of animal husbandry need to be promoted aggressively not only for better return but also for ensuring gainful employment and nutritional needs of the people .
Mr Choudhry chaired a meeting comprising senior officers from IDBI , NABARD and NCDC today here on the subject of finding a way out for an estimated funding of Rs 10,000 / - crore or more in all sectors including Dairy and Fisheries etc . Mr Choudhry said that it is imperative that all the sectors of Animal Husbandry including Dairy and Fisheries etc . needs to be promoted aggressively not only for better return but also for ensuring gainful employment and nutritional needs of the people .
Secretary categorically pointed out that animal husbandry can be the effective tools for changing the game for enhancing and doubling the income of the farmers and directed all the participating agencies to find out a fully integrated prospective for animal husbandry sectors and come up with the solutions from their end .
INDIA REITERATES ITS COMMITMENT TOWARDS REDUCTION IN GREENHOUSE GASES
In a declaration in 2009 , India announced a voluntary goal of reducing the emissions intensity of its GDP by 20 – 25 %, over 2005 levels , by 2020 , despite having no binding mitigation obligations as per the Convention . Subsequently , India in its Intended Nationally Determined Contributions ( INDCs ) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change ( UNFCCC ) has announced its intention to reduce emission intensity of its GDP by 33 to 35 percent from 2005 levels by 2030 subject to availability of requisite means of implementation .

This information was given by the Minister of State ( Independent Charge ) of Environment , Forest and Climate Change , Mr Anil Madhav Dave , in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha on July 18 , 2016 . agriculture

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