ITANAGAR, May 10 � Arunachal Pradesh Chief Secretary Ramesh Negi on Saturday assured to prepare a master plan for rubber cultivation in the State.
Negi, accompanied by Trade and Commerce Commissioner Hage Bath, Tourism Secretary Joram Beda, Art and Culture Secretary Dani Sulu and a host of officials visited a rubber nursery and plantation at Tarajuli in Assam-Arunachal border to take stock of progress of the plantation spread across an area of 300 hectares.
Advocating mapping of all the foothill areas of the State to develop rubber cultivation to wean away the practice of shifting cultivation he called for mooting a management plan with assistance from Rubber Board of India (RBI) for popularising rubber plantation in the State.
�We need to develop a management system for small and big rubber growers in the State with all technical support from the RBI,� he pointed out.
While calling for popularising rubber cultivation in schools, Negi said that rubber would not only provide money but would also give due respect to the farmers to lead a descent and prestigious life.
He urged the RBI to set up rubber nurseries in the State and assured to rope in fund from various agencies like NEC, DoNER and NABARD.
Bath, while dwelling on the Chief Minister Mission mode programme on tea and rubber launched in the State during 2012-13, informed that the government during 2014-15 has earmarked an amount of Rs 3 crore for tea and Rs 5 crore for rubber cultivation under the programme.
He said during 2012-13, an amount of Rs 5 crore including Rs 2 crore for rubber was sanctioned where assistance were provided to 485 tea farmers and 237 rubber growers in the State.
�During 2013-14, the State Government has released Rs 5 crore for tea and Rs 10 crore for rubber cultivation against which 464 small tea growers and 954 rubber planters were benefited,� Bath disclosed and advocated for giving priority on plantation crops which would provide lucrative returns in short time.
He said, the State Government focus had been shifted to cluster approach in providing assistance for rubber plantation in the State.
Former Deputy Production Commissioner of RBI PC Goswami through a power point presentation informed that an area of one lakh hectares have been identified in Arunachal Pradesh for rubber plantation.
He also suggested the farmers to choose rubber plantation only in those areas which are not above 450 metres from sea level. �Rubber could be cultivated in foothill areas and other low lying areas,� he added. � PTI