Status Paper

A brief description of various Rice Development Schemes implemented in the past is given below :

On the basis of experience gained and constraints identified in different blocks during the implementation of the Pilot Project in 1984-85, a full fledged Centrally Sponsored “Special Rice Production Programme-SRPP” was started from 1985-86.The objective of the scheme was to bring the substantial increase in the productivity of low productivity areas. For implementation of the scheme, 1/5th of the total number of blocks in the States of Assam, Bihar, Eastern Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Eastern Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal were taken up. Before taking up the scheme, the block-wise plans were prepared and based on the needs of each block different programmes were taken up. As the constraints vary from block to block the programme of work across the block also vary. The programme was implemented in 420 selected blocks instead of 417 selected initially as the Govt. of West Bengal implemented the programme in 70 selected blocks. Under the scheme, programmes were taken up to improve the supply of inputs like quality seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, plant protection equipments, farm implements and technology, programme requiring short-term measures for taking up the other works for the improvement of the irrigation, drainage and development of infrastructure facilities were also included.

During 1986-87, the scheme was extended to 10 additional blocks of Assam State. State of Tripura was also included during 1988-89 and 9 blocks of the State were identified for the implementation of the scheme. In all, the SRPP was implemented in 439 blocks of the 7 Eastern States. The funding pattern under the scheme was 50:50 sharing basis between the Govt. of India and concerned State Government.

Consequent to the mid-term appraisal of the 7th Five Year Plan a Centrally Sponsored “Special Foodgrains Production Programme (SFPP)” was launched with a view to achieve the minimum food production of 166 million tonnes during 1988-89 and 175 million tonnes for the terminal year 1989-90 of the 7th Five Year Plan. For implementation of SFPP-Rice, 106 potential districts in 13 States i.e., 6 SRPP States – Assam (3), Bihar (13), Madhya Pradesh (11), Orissa (5), Uttar Pradesh (21), West Bengal (7) and other 7 States - Andhra Pradesh (8), Gujarat (4), Haryana (5), Karnataka (8), Maharashtra (7), Punjab (3) and Tamil Nadu (8) were identified. The implementation unit of the SFPP-Rice Programme was district and all the areas in the identified districts were covered for the implementation of the programme. SFPP was 100% funded by the Government of India.

SRPP and SFPP-Rice were merged on the recommendations of the Planning Commission and unified scheme “Integrated Programme for Rice Development (IPRD)” was implemented from 1990-91. 4 additional States namely Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Kerala and 1 Union Territory of Pondicherry were covered under the Scheme. Whereas the SRPP was implemented in the identified blocks and SFPP-Rice in the identified districts, the IPRD was implemented in all the districts of the States covered under the programme. The funding pattern under the scheme was modified to 75:25 to be shared between the Govt.of India and the concerned State Government.

From the year 1991-92, the scheme was further extended to 5 more additional States namely Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland. Thus, the scheme was implemented in 23 States namely Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh,Assam, Bihar, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Union Territory of Pondicherry.

The State Governments were provided the flexibility to choose the most suitable components out of the approved components under IPRD namely distribution of certified seeds, micro-nutrients (zinc sulphate), herbicides, pesticides, PP equipments, seed treating chemicals, farm implements, supply to power tiller to small and marginal farmers and allocate funds to each components keeping in view of the specific constraints to rice production in the State and overall limited to Rs. 57.44 lakh per district. Besides, field demonstrations and training programmes for farmers and farm labourers were also included under the scheme for effective transfer of crop production technology.

The on-going Integrated Programme for Rice Development (IPRD), Special Foodgrains Production Programme-Wheat and Special Foodgrains Production Programme-Maize and Millets Schemes have been modified. Schemes are as Integrated Cereals Development Programme in Rice Based Cropping System Areas (ICDP-Rice), Integrated Cereals Development Programme in Coarse Cereals Based Cropping System Areas (ICDP-Coarse Cereals) and Integrated Cereals Development Programme in Wheat Based Cropping System Areas (ICDP-Wheat). In an area, only one scheme is being implemented and there is no overlapping in the implementation of the scheme of ICDP-Rice, ICDP-Coarse Cereals and ICDP-Wheat. The objective of the modified scheme is to increase the overall productivity of cereals under specific crop based systems as a whole as against the individual crop approach.

The ICDP-Rice was implemented in 1200 identified blocks of 16 States namely Andhra Pradesh (120), Arunachal Pradesh (20), Assam (75), Bihar (220), Goa (4), Kerala (55), Eastern Madhya Pradesh (90), Manipur (12), Meghalaya (12), Mizoram (8), Nagaland (12), Orissa (115), Tamil Nadu (140), Tripura (8), Eastern Uttar Pradesh (180), West Bengal (125) and one Union Territory of Pondicherry (4).

The Central Sector Rice Seed Minikit Programme including propagation of improved production technology has played vital role in increasing area under high yielding varieties and also in demonstration of improved crop production technology to the farmers. This scheme has contributed in increasing rice production and productivity. The high yielding varieties Programme was initiated during 1966-67 and the Directorate of Rice Development, Govt. of India commenced monitoring the scheme of high yielding varieties in a systematic manner from 1970 onwards. The total area under rice during 1969-70 was 37.68 million hectares in which the area under high yielding varieties (H.Y.V.) was about 4.34 million hectares.

Thus the share of H.Y.V was 4.5% of the total area under rice in the country during 1969-70. But due to the successful implementation of the scheme, the area under H.Y.V increased significantly from 4.34 million ha during 1969-70 to 33.10 million ha during 1999-2000. The increase in area under H.Y.V registered more than 8 folds during the past 30 years. During 1969-70 only 16 H.Y.V. were released or notified for cultivation and thereafter due to the concerted efforts of research, 639 varieties of rice have been released and notified so far. Those varieties have been popularized at the farmers field through Rice Mini-Kit programme which was initiated during 1971-72 and continued up to 9th plan period. Thus, the percentage of area under high yielding varieties has been increased from 11.5% in 1969-70 to 79% during 1999-2000.

SL	Plan	Period	Area in '000 Hectares
1.	IV Plan	1969-70 to 1973-74	7,098.20
2.	V Plan	1974-75 to 1978-79	13,986.40
3.	VI Plan	1980-81 to 1984-85	20,255.40
4.	VII Plan	1985-86 to 1989-90	24,263.70
5.	VIII Plan	1992-93 to 1996-97	30,905.60
6.	IX Plan	1997-98 to 1999-00	33,994.20

The plan-wise area covered under high yielding varieties are depicted in the bar diagram :

With a view to increase the rice production and productivity in the country, the Govt. of India have been implementing from time to time various rice development programmes in all rice growing States through the Directorate of Rice Development, Patna.

The details of the schemes implemented up to 9th Five Year Plan are given below :

Seed is the basic input for increasing production and productivity. Therefore, maintenance of genetic purity through seed replacement is essential for stabilizing the yield levels. In addition to the supply of certified seeds of high yielding varieties of rice to the farmers, seed Minikits of recently released location specific high yielding varieties were being distributed to the farmers at nominal cost under Central Sector Rice Seed Minikit Programme since 1972 for popularization of varieties and seed multiplication at the farmer’s field level. This programme has helped in spread of recently released varieties and in coverage under high yielding varieties.

A number of recently released location specific high yielding varieties of rice spread through Central Sector Rice Seed Minikit Demonstration Programme during the IX Five Year Plan are given in Table-9.

During the 9th Five Year Plan more emphasis was given on popularization of location specific high yielding varieties of rice released/notified during the last 3 years for the favourable rainfed and irrigated areas and 5 years for the problematic areas like rainfed upland & lowland, coastal saline, saline-alkaline lands, high altitude cold stress areas. A total number of 33,00,000 Seed Mini-Kits of 419 location specific high yielding varieties of rice were distributed in different rice growing States during the 9th Five Year Plan.

With a view to disseminate the latest rice production technology to the Extension Officers of the State Governments, State Level Training Programme on Rice Production Technology was organized continuously since 1975-76. The training programmes was conducted at ICAR Research Centres and State Agriculture Universities for three days duration with 3o participants up to 9th Five Year Plan period. An assistance limited to Rs. 22,900/- was given to the organizing centres for conducting training programmes.

In addition to the State Level Training Programme, a Special Orientation Training Programme on Rice Production Technology was also organized at the State Agricultural Universities and Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Institutes. The duration of training programme was for 5 days with 20 participants. The financial assistance of Rs. 35,000/- was given to the organizer for each training course. This training programme was initiated during the year 1997-98 with a view to disseminate the latest rice production technology. This training programme was conducted at the following Centres or the Universities for different type of rice :-

The Govt. of India has initiated Macro Management Scheme of Agriculture. This is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme. The objective of this scheme is to aim at all round development in agriculture through Work Plans prepared by the respective State keeping in view the following aspects :

The Govt. of India has merged 27 Centrally Sponsored Schemes into Macro Management Mode. The previous pattern of Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) was lacking in various flexibility resulting in large amount of unutilized balances with the State Govts. The present Macro Management approach will provide more flexibility to State Govts. to develop and pursue programmes on the basis of regional priorities. The outlay of the Work Plan would be shared by the Centre and the States in the ratio of 90:10. In the case of North-Eastern States, the entire expenditure will be borne by the Govt. of India. Macro Management Scheme will be implemented in all States and Union Territories.

SL	Name of the Centre/University	Type of Rice
1.	G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar.	Basmati Rice
2.	Bidhan Chandra Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Kalyani.	Boro Rice
3.	Directorate of Rice Research, Hyderabad.	Hybrid Rice
4.	Directorate of Rice Research, Hyderabad.	Irrigated Rice
5.	Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack.	Rainfed Rice
6.	ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Shillong.	Rice Production Technology