Mobile Soil testing laboratories in 250 districts at an outaly of Rs 75 Crores

The Finance Minister, Shri P Chidambaram has announced setting up of one fully-fitted mobile soil testing laboratory each to 250 districts of the country before March 2009. While presenting the Union Budget 2008-09 in the Lok Sabha today, the Finance Minister said a one time allotment of Rs. 75 crore will be given to the Ministry of Agriculture to provide the mobile soil testing laboratories. In addition to this, 500 soil testing laboratories will be set up in the public private sectors during the 11th Plan with Government’s assistance of 13 lakh per laboratory.

Special thrust is being given to the revival of crops such as coconut, cashew and peeper under the National Horticulture Mission (NHM). An outlay of Rs. 1,100 crores has been allocated for the same. NHM now covers 340 districts in 18 states and 2 Union Territories. An area of 2,76,000 hectares has been brought under horticulture crops and an area of 56,000 hectares of old plantations has been rejuvenated.

Source : Press Information Bureau

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