New Delhi: Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Radha Mohan Singh today addressed via video conferencing the Chief Secretaries of States and Principal Secretaries and senior officials of State Agriculture Departments in New Delhi, today. In a first-of-its-kind meeting for the Agriculture Ministry, Shri Singh asked the States to submit their Annual Action Plan 2018-19 to the Ministry latest by April 15, 2018 so that the funds on account of central schemes on Agriculture and allied sectors are disbursed immediately. The Union Minister asked for inter-state criteria information on Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) to be sent urgently.
Shri Singh also asked States to organize regular meetings of the Steering Committee on Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) scheme and fill vacant positions. He also took stock of the unutilized funds of the States and UTs for 2017-18 and asked them to submit, in the next two days, the utilization certificates of the fund received on account of first installment so that the second installment is released before the end of financial year 2017-18. The Minister also requested States to utilize the leftover fund before the end of fiscal 2017-18.
Shri Singh called for the smooth operation of all the schemes, sought their suggestions and gave necessary instructions to the concerned officials.
