Cabinet approves strengthening of Krishi Vigyan Kendras

The Cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal for the continuation and strengthening of 669 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) till 2019-20.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the Department of Agricultural Research and Education proposal for KVKs established before March 31 last year, a statement said.

The Cabinet also approved the proposal for 11 Agricultural Technology Application Research Institutes (ATARIs), support to the Directorates of Extension Education (DEEs) of Agricultural Universities (AUs) and all special programmes associated with the scheme and establishment of 76 spills over KVKs as already approved in the 12th Plan.

The financial outlay for the KVK Scheme, including Directorate of Knowledge Management in Agriculture (DKMA) for 2017-20, shall be of Rs 2,82,400.72 lakh, the PIB statement said.

The KVKs would act as knowledge and resource centre in the field of agriculture in the district and would build models of technology uptake and farmers' empowerment leading to support the central government's initiative of doubling farmers' income.

The Centre will initiate special programmes -- Network Project on New Extension Methodologies and Approaches; Nutri-sensitive Agricultural Resources and Innovations (NARI); programs tilted Knowledge Systems and Homestead Agriculture Management in Tribal Areas (KSHAMTA); Value Addition and Technology Incubation Centres in Agriculture (VATICA); Farm Innovation Resource Management (FIRM) and establishment of Agricultural Technology Information Centre -- through the scheme.

Besides, rainwater harvesting, integrated farming system (IFS) processing, fish seed production, ICT enabled services, green agriculture and strengthening of soil health programme shall also be supported, said the statement.

The scheme functions on 100 percent central funding pattern under Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Department of Agricultural Research and Education.

As many as 49 Union Ministers, 284 MPs, 111 state ministers, 300 MLAs and a large number of senior government officials participated along with five lakh farmers in the recently held "Sankalp Se Siddhi" programme in 564 KVKs.