Balyan for rethink on funding pattern for agri programmes

Union Minister of State for Agriculture Sanjeev Kumar Balyan today expressed hope that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would have a rethink on the pattern of sharing between the Centre and states in the funding of programmes under agriculture and allied services.
Talking to reporters at the College of Veterinary Sciences at Selesih near Aizawl this evening, Balyan said that he would also appeal to Modi to rethink the fund sharing pattern for Northeastern states as demanded by chief ministers of the region.
"The fund sharing pattern of 50:50 in RKVY and other schemes will be too much of a burden for the states," he observed.

He said that the Centre would give emphasis on development of food processing and transport facilities to develop market linkage in the Northeastern region.
Six more agriculture and horticulture colleges would be set up in the region, he said, adding that organic farming would also be given importance in the region.