A review meeting of the various departments and boards held for the implementation of the recommendations of the M.S. Swaminathan commission at the collectorate in Painavu has decided to speed up the process for implementation of schemes under the Idukki package.
Idukki District Collector Ashok Kumar Singh, who is also the special officer for implementing the package, said that Agriculture, Soil Protection, Dairy Development, Forest departments and Coffee and Spices boards have already submitted the project reports and defects, if any, found for implementation will be corrected and resubmitted so that no technical issues will remain. The importance of the recommendation is that no project should be lapsed or delayed in the implementation.
At the review meeting, it was highlighted that the soil protection should be done in accordance with the implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme (NREGP).
Earlier, there was criticism that the projects submitted by the Soil Conservation Department was not as per the recommendations in the Swaminathan Commission and the implementation of the special package for soil conservation, a major project especially in the High Ranges where soil erosion was one of the highest, would be affected.
It was suggested at the meeting the Spices and Tea boards should implement the projects to benefit farmers to the maximum. Coffee and spices are major crops in the High Ranges and the coffee farmers have gone back from replanting and crop protection, resulting in a considerable fall in the total production. As for pepper, replanting projects have started through the Spices Boards with subsidies given to the farmers. The focus is on the cultivation of hybrid varieties which are conducive to the climatic and soil conditions in different areas.
The review meeting also highlighted the inclusion of the neighbourhood groups and Kudumbasree units in organic farming, which the district especially the Mankulam grama panchayat, has moved ahead in both the vegetable and cash crops like pepper and cardamom.
