Annapurna Scheme: Seed Production Programme

Description
The “Annapurna Scheme” was launched by the Department of Farmers Welfare and Agricultural Development, Government of Madhya Pradesh. The “Seed Production Programme” component of the scheme aims to improve the economic condition of small and marginal farmers belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes by providing economic assistance for improved seeds, thereby increasing productivity and production. The scheme provides Foundation or Certified Grade I seeds of improved, high-yielding food grain crops to selected farmers for seed production up to a limit of 1 hectare, along with a 75% subsidy on the actual cost of the seed.

Exclusions
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Benefits
• Provision of Foundation or Certified Grade I seeds of improved varieties of high-yielding food grain crops for seed production.
• Eligibility for a 75% subsidy on the actual cost of the Foundation or Certified seed up to a maximum area of 1 hectare.
• Payment for registration (application fee, registration fee, inspection fee, and sample fee) with the Seed Certification Agency will be covered from the scheme budget.
• Technical training and necessary information will be provided by the Rural Agricultural Extension Officer, Senior Agricultural Development Officer, and Subject Matter Specialist (Sub-Divisional level).
• Guaranteed procurement of the produced seed by the Seed Production Committee or Farm Superintendent at government-fixed rates.
• Expenditure related to the grading, processing, stocking, and packing of raw seeds produced on Government agricultural farms can be carried out by the Deputy Director of Agriculture from the scheme budget.
• Conditions
• The farmer must utilize the seed provided for a maximum area of 1 hectare and a minimum area of 0.2 hectares (1/2 acre).
• The farmer must adopt the complete package of agricultural practices for higher production.
• The farmer must ensure the removal of undesirable plants to maintain seed purity.
• The farmer must sign an agreement with the department through the Seed Production Committee or Farm Superintendent regarding seed production, procurement, and payment according to the policy.
• The farmer must pay the remaining 25% of the seed cost in cash or by providing their own seed.
• If the farmer provides their own seed, the price of that seed will be determined based on the support price.
• The produced Certified Seed must be made available to other Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe farmers under the scheme in the subsequent year.
• The expenditure incurred on processing, grading, stocking, and packing will be deducted from the fixed price of the supplied seed, and the remaining amount must be deposited into the government treasury.

Eligibility Criteria
1. - The applicant must belong to the Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe.
2. - The applicant must be a small or marginal farmer.
3. - The applicant must be willing to participate in the “Seed Production Programme”.
4. - The applicant must operate within the 10-kilometer periphery of the selected Government agricultural farms.
5. - The applicant must conduct the program on a minimum area of 0.2 hectares (1/2 acre).
6. - The applicant must be eligible for a maximum grant up to 1 hectare.
7. - The applicant must mandatorily register with the Seed Certification Agency.
8. - The plan includes the food grain crops Paddy (Dhan), Jowar, Bajra, Maize, Kodo, Kutki, Ragi (for Kharif), and Wheat (Gehu), Barley (Jau) (for Rabi).
9. ****Preference should be given to the names listed first in the approved list.***
10. ****The waiting list will remain valid only until the crop season.***
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12. ***Implementation Area***
13. The Seed Production Programme will be implemented within the 10-kilometer periphery of the following Government agricultural farms:
14. _Gohad (Bhind), Mahuakheda (Gwalior), Indergarh (Datia), Gazaura (Shivpuri), Rannod (Shivpuri), Gariyaband (Raipur), Khairibilari (Raipur), Mohgaon (Durg), Surgi (Rajnandgaon), Bhavarmara (Rajnandgaon), Amethi (Raigarh), Ragja (Janjgir), Lakhanpur (Korba), Gehwara (Satna), Samda (Sidhi), Jabera (Damoh), Naogaon (Chhatarpur), Ajaygarh (Panna), Bhomakhatiya (Seoni), Kinhi (Balaghat), Delakhedi (Chhindwara), Narsinghpur (Narsinghpur), Pirprod (Katni), Manpur (Umariya), Bhikangaon (Khargone), Chandrakeshar (Dewas), Girwar (Shajapur), Panched (Ratlam), Patan (Mandsaur), Phanda (Bhopal), Rehthi (Sehore), Silwani (Raisen), Gundgaon (Betul), Sarangpur (Rajgarh), Keralapal (Jagdalpur), Kanker (Kanker), Pankhajor (Kanker), Chalta (Sitapur Surguja), Lohari (Koriya), Ori (Mandla), Biridodogari (Mandla), Birhuliya (Shahdol), Nogaon (Dhar), Jobat (Jhabua), Alirajpur (Jhabua), Garhi (Balaghat)._
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Application Process
Step 1: The Rural Agricultural Extension Officer will conduct the primary selection of small and marginal Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe farmers who are willing to participate in the Seed Production Programme.
The officer must select up to 1.5 times …
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The Rural Agricultural Extension Officer will conduct the primary selection of small and marginal Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe farmers who are willing to participate in the Seed Production Programme.
The officer must select up to 1.5 times the physical target number of beneficiaries and prepare a list.
The Rural Agricultural Extension Officer will submit the list of selected beneficiaries to the Senior Agricultural Development Officer or the Farm Superintendent.
The Senior Agricultural Development Officer or Farm Superintendent will examine the received list and obtain the necessary approval from the Sub-Divisional Agricultural Officer.
The Director of Agriculture will issue directions for various entities, including Government Agricultural Farms, State Seed Corporation, National Seed Corporation, State Farm Corporation of India, and Agricultural Universities, to supply Foundation/Certified Grade I seeds directly to the Deputy Director of Agriculture.
The Deputy Director of Agriculture will then arrange for the supply of seeds to the Farm Superintendent.
The Farm Superintendent will distribute the Foundation/Certified Grade I seeds to the selected farmers based on the Sub-Divisional Agricultural Officer's approval.
The farmer must sow the seed within the prescribed area, which should be a minimum of 0.2 hectares (1/2 acre) up to a maximum of 1 hectare.
Farmers must adopt the complete package of agricultural practices for higher production and remove unwanted plants to maintain seed purity.
The Rural Agricultural Extension Officer must submit the registration application form to the Farm Superintendent within 20 days of sowing or before the final date fixed by the government.
It is mandatory for the Farm Superintendent to present this application to the Seed Certification Agency within the stipulated time frame.
The Sub-Divisional Agricultural Officer will draw the necessary amount (application fee, registration fee, inspection fee, and sample fee) from the scheme budget.
The Sub-Divisional Agricultural Officer must ensure that this amount is remitted to the Seed Certification Agency before the prescribed deadline.
Following successful field-level certification, the produced raw seed will be procured at fixed rates by the Seed Production Committee or the Farm Superintendent.
The Farm Superintendent must arrange for the grading, processing, stocking, and packing of the raw seed under the supervision of the Seed Certification Agency, adhering to the schedule fixed by the government.
The Deputy Director of Agriculture will cover the expenditure for grading, processing, stocking, and packing of the raw seeds from the scheme budget.
The remaining amount, after deducting the processing expenses from the fixed price of the supplied seed, must be deposited by challan into the government treasury under the payment head for the Government Agricultural Farm.
Selection of beneficiaries must be completed by May 25 for Kharif and August 31 for Rabi/Summer.
Seed availability at the Farm/Cooperative Society/Lamps/Development Block must be completed by June 10 for Kharif and September 30 for Rabi/Summer.
Seed supply to farmers must be completed by June 15 for Kharif and October 10 for Rabi/Summer.
Technical advice, guidance, and supervision regarding the operation of the program will be provided by the Agriculture Department.

Required Documents
• Caste Certificate
• Land Holding Document Showing Minimum 0.2 Hectares (1/2 Acre) Area For The Programme.
• Proof Of Residence Within 10 Kilometer Periphery Of The Selected Government Agricultural Farm.
• Written Consent (Or Declaration) Of Willingness To Participate In The Seed Production Programme.
• Application Form For Registration (To Be Submitted To The Farm Superintendent Within 20 Days Of Sowing).
• Agreement With The Department Regarding Seed Production And Procurement.
• Challan (For Depositing Remaining 25% Seed Cost In Cash) (If Applicable).
• Declaration Of Own Seed Contribution (To Cover Remaining 25% Seed Cost) (If Applicable).

Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Must participants intending to increase agricultural productivity necessarily belong to the specific population groups known as Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe categories?
A: Yes, participation in the Seed Production Programme is exclusively limited to small and marginal farmers who are confirmed members of the Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe communities.
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Q: What specific farming techniques are mandated during the growing season to ensure the produced seeds meet the required purity standards?
A: Farmers must adopt the complete package of agricultural practices for higher production and mandatorily ensure the removal of undesirable plants to maintain seed purity.
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Q: If I receive Foundation or Certified seed through the program, what%age of the actual seed cost must be contributed by the farmer?
A: The farmer must pay the remaining 25% of the seed cost; the scheme provides a 75% subsidy on the actual cost of the Foundation or Certified seed.
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Q: What is the smallest required area of land, measured in either hectares or acres, that a participant must use for the seed production program?
A: The program must be conducted by the farmer on a minimum area of 1/2 acre (0.2 hectares).
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Q: Am I restricted on the maximum amount of land I can use to sow the Foundation or Certified seed that is provided to me by the department?
A: Yes, the farmer must utilize the seed provided for a maximum area of 1 hectare.
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Q: How close must my farming operation be located to a designated Government agricultural farm to qualify for the seed supply program?
A: The applicant must reside and operate their farm within the 10-kilometer periphery of the selected Government agricultural farms.
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Q: If the number of applicants exceeds the available targets, what criteria determine which names receive priority selection?
A: Preference should be given to the names listed first in the approved list of beneficiaries.
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Q: What quality level of seeds, such as Foundation or Certified Grade, will be made available to farmers participating in the production activity?
A: Farmers will be provided with Foundation or Certified Grade I seeds of improved, high-yielding food grain varieties.
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Q: Do the requirements state that I must hold a particular size of land holding, such as being classified as a small or marginal farmer, to qualify?
A: Yes, the applicant must meet the criteria of being identified as a small farmer or a marginal farmer.
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Q: Is there a maximum limit set on the agricultural land area for which an applicant can receive subsidized seed under this production initiative?
A: The eligibility for the grant is limited up to a maximum area of 1 hectare.
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Q: Must an interested applicant explicitly declare their intention or willingness to participate in the entire Seed Production Programme process?
A: Yes, the applicant must be willing and interested in participating in the Seed Production Programme.
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Q: Which specific high-yielding food grain crops are included for seed production purposes during the Kharif and Rabi seasons under these guidelines?
A: Kharif crops include Paddy (Dhan), Jowar, Bajra, Maize, Kodo, Kutki, and Ragi; Rabi crops include Wheat (Gehu) and Barley (Jau).
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Q: What administrative steps are required to ensure the purity and quality of the crop produced, specifically regarding certification standards?
A: It is mandatory for the farmers to register with the Seed Certification Agency, and this application must be submitted within 20 days of sowing or before the government-fixed final date.
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Q: If I am required to cover the remaining 25% of the improved seed cost, how can I make this required contribution?
A: The remaining amount can be paid in cash or by providing your own seed, the price of which will be valued based on the support price.
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