The North Eastern states will get Rs 100 crore this year from the Agriculture Ministry to promote cultivation of rice under the National Food Security Mission (NFSM).
All eight NE States, including Sikkim, are being covered under NFSM for cultivation of rice this year. Till last year, only Assam was covered under NFSM for rice, an Agriculture Ministry statement said.
NFSM is a centrally sponsored scheme in operation in 480 districts of 18 important rice, wheat and pulses growing States. Under NFSM-rice, States would be given assistance for a large number of activities including seed distribution, soil management, pest control, machines and tools, training and field demonstrations.
The interventions planned under NFSM are likely to improve the rice yield, which is low in the NE States. It will also help these States in becoming self-sufficient in rice production, it said. Of the Rs 100 crore, Assam will get about Rs 31 crore, followed by Tripura at around Rs 22 crore. Manipur and Nagaland will get over Rs 11 crore each.