Agriculture

Outlay of Rs4,500 crore under AIBP in 2005-06, with grant component of Rs1,680 crore.

States expected to spend Rs2,520 crore from their resources.

Outlay for 2006-07 increased to Rs7,121 crore, with grant of Rs2,350 crore.

Command Area Development Programme to be revamped to allow participatory irrigation management through water users' associations.

20,000 water bodies with a command area of 1.47 million hectares identified in the first phase for repair, renovation and restoration. Estimated cost: Rs4,481 crore.

Farm credit increased to Rs125,309 crore in 2004-05; expected to cross target of Rs141,500 crore for 2005-06; will increase to Rs175,000 crore in 2006-07, with addition of 50 lakh farmers.

Banks asked to open a separate window for self-help groups or joint liability groups of tenant farmers.

One-time relief to be granted to farmers who have availed of a crop loan from scheduled commercial banks, RRBs and PACs for kharif and rabi 2005-06. An amount equal to two percentage points of the borrower's interest liability on the principal up to Rs100,000 to be credited to his/her bank account before March 31, 2006. Rs1,700 crore provided for this purpose.

Farmers to receive short-term credit at 7 per cent, with an upper limit of Rs300,000 on the principal amount, from kharif 2006-07. Subvention for this to be given to NABARD.

Sanctions under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF XI) at Rs7,301 crore as on January 31, 2006. Corpus for RIDF XII to increase to Rs10,000 crore.

Specified projects under PPP model to be allowed to access RIDF funds.

Separate window for rural roads with a corpus of Rs4,000 crore during 2006-07.

National Agricultural Insurance Scheme to continue.

Special-purpose Tea Fund to be set up. Expected contribution of Rs100 crore in 2006-07.

801,000 self-help groups (SHGs) credit-linked in two years. Credit of Rs4,863 crore disbursed. Another 385,000 SHGs to be credit-linked in 2006-07.

NABARD to open a line of credit for financing farm production and investment activities through SHGs.

Committee to be appointed on financial inclusion.

Terminal markets to be setup on PPP model. Rs150 crore earmarked in 2006-07 under National

Horticulture Mission.

Central Institute of Horticulture to be established in Nagaland.

National Fisheries Development Board to be constituted.