BS Nagar gets first private tissue culture laboratory at village Pojewal

Nawanshahr, August 21, 2013: In a leap forward towards encouraging crop diversification, the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district has got its first Tissue Culture Laboratory in private sector at village Pojewal.

Disclosing this here today Deputy Commissioner Tanu Kashyap said that the Horticulture department has issued a subsidy worth Rs 49.50 lakh for setting up of this tissue culture unit. This unit has been providing quality seeds of sugarcane, potato and medicinal seeds besides horticulture varieties. She said that along with this the Horticulture department has disbursed subsidy worth Rs 6.42 crore to the various cultivators in the last three years. Kahsyap said that out of this a major amount has been given for setting up of a tissue culture laboratory and four cold stores in the district apart from other activities.

The DC said that Rs 2.15 Crore had been given for setting up of four cold storages, Rs 67.5 lakh among 45 farmers for pack houses, Rs 20 lakh for 37 Power weeders, Rs 26.28 lakh for 52 power machines and Rs 45 lakh for setting up of three Mushroom Units, as subsidies in the district. She further said that as many as 21,800 square metre poly house/hi-tech poly house and net houses had been set up by the farmers in the district, for which a total subsidy of Rs 1,15,75,250 was released. Kashyap said that apart from this, an amount of Rs 12.56 lakh disbursed among the 121 horticulture farmers for providing spray pumps adding that in order to promote new orchards in the district, a subsidy of 75 percent of the total cost has been provided and a total of Rs 36.40 lakh had been given as subsidy in the last three years.

Likewise the DC further said that to provide organic fertilizers, a subsidy of Rs 39.10 lakh had been issued for setting up of 122 units of vermicompost and 50 units of vermibed in the district. She said that in order to  promote Bee-Keeping among the farmers, as many as 140 boxes have been given on subsidized rates with a total subsidy of Rs 1.67 Lakh.

Divulging details of current fiscal, Deputy Commissioner said that an estimated report of Rs 2.50 crore had been prepared which had been proposed for setting up of Bee-Keeping boxes, Mantha Unit and a Ripening Chamber in the district. Throwing light on the prevailing subsidy criteria, she told that 75 percent share of the total cost of plantation (of orchards), 40 percent amount of the total project cost of Cold Storage and 50 percent for rest of other activities had been given as subsidy amount. She appealed the farmers to come forward for setting up horticulture units in the district so that they could make their earnings profitable.