The Rubber Board has invited applications from rubber growers to provide assistance for replanting and new planting under the Rubber Plantation Development Scheme. In the traditional rubber growing areas of Kerala and the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu, growers, whose total area under rubber does not exceed five hectares including new planting and replanting during the current year, will be eligible for planting grant for an area up to two hectares.
The rate of assistance is Rs.19,500 per hectare.
In the non-traditional rubber-growing areas (every place except Kerala and Kanyakumari), growers whose rubber area does not exceed 20 hectares are eligible for assistance under the scheme. The rate of assistance in non-traditional area is Rs.30,000 per hectare and would include planting subsidy, cost of polybag plants and transportation subsidy.
According to a release issued here on Friday, the applications in the prescribed form in duplicate together with two copies of correct survey plan of the land already planted or that is proposed to be planted in the year 2011 should reach the respective Regional Offices of the Board on or before December 31. Application forms and other details are available from all Regional Offices and Field Offices of the Board at a cost of Rs.5 per set.
The application forms in Malayalam and English can be downloaded from the Rubber Board's website www.rubberboard.org.in also.