District Level Workshop on Agriclinics & Agribusiness Centres (AC ABC) Scheme held

Ludhiana, February 1, 2019: A District Level Workshop on AGRICLINICS & AGRIBUSINESS CENTRES (AC ABC) Scheme was held at College of Agriculture, Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana by NABARD, Punjab Regional Office on 30.01.2019. The workshop was attended by Dr Harmeet Kaur, Deputy Director PAMETI, Dr Aman Sharma, Assistant Professor, KVK, Samrala, Ms Gagan deep Kaur ( Agriculture Development Officer), Dr Jaspreet Singh Khera( Project Department ATMA) , Officers from Horticulture Department, Agriculture Department, Dairy Department and District coordinators from various commercial Banks.
Sh Parveen Bhatia, Assistant General Manager (District development) in inaugural speech informed that the Ministry of Agriculture and farmers welfare, Government of India, in association with NABARD has launched a unique programme to take better methods of farming to each and every farmer across the country.
This programme aims to tap the expertise available in the large pool of Agriculture Graduates. Irrespective of whether one is a fresh graduate or not, or whether one is currently employed or not, one can set up his own AgriClinic or AgriBusiness Centre and offer professional extension services to innumerable farmers.
Committed to this programme, the Government is now also providing start-up training to graduates in Agriculture, or any subject allied to Agriculture like Horticulture, Sericulture, Veterinary Sciences, Forestry, Dairy, Poultry Farming, and Fisheries, etc. Those completing the training can apply for special start-up loans for venture. In the presentation made to officers it was informed that Agriculture graduates can earn money and prestige by becoming a consultant to farmers. Agribusiness Centres would provide paid services for enhancement of agriculture production and income of farmers. Centres would need to advice farmers on crop selection, best farm practices, post-harvest value-added options, key agricultural information (including perhaps even Internet-based weather forecast), price trends, market news, risk mitigation and crop insurance, credit and input access, as well as critical sanitary and phyto-sanitary considerations, which the farmers have to keep in mind. It emerged out in discussions that Free Training is provided to set up Agriclinic or Agribusiness Centre.
As an integral part of this nationwide initiative, specialised training will be provided to Agriculture Graduates interested in setting up such a centre. Being provided free of cost, the 2-month training course will be offered by select institutes across the country. Initiated by SFAC, and co-ordinated by MANAGE, the course comprises Entrepreneurship and Business Management, as well as skill improvement modules in chosen areas of activity.
PAMETI Ludhiana and ATMA Faridkot is providing free training in this regard. It was informed that Bank loans available for Agriclinics and Agribusiness Centres. An interactive session with students of final year of BSc and MSc along with PAU advisors was held where they were informed about ACABC scheme run in association of NABARD, Loan, training and subsidy. It emerged out in discussions that graduates can become entrepreneurs by opening Agriculture clinics and business centres with active role of various stakeholders such as PAU, ATMA, GADVASU, Agriculture, horticulture and dairy department and various banks.
Subsidy pattern has been revised from “capital and interest subsidy” to “Composite Subsidy” which will be back-ended in nature. It will be 44% of project cost for women, SC/ST & all categories of candidates from NE and Hill states and 36% of project cost for all others. Interest subsidy scheme is replaced with enhanced quantum of back-ended subsidy.