The Integrated Cotton Development Programme(ICDP) would be implemented in three districts of Haryana and Punjab each and two districts of Rajasthan from the next financial year. The Union secretary(agricultural and cooperation) said that the programme is aimed at protecting the cotton crop, increasing its productivity and improving its quality. The programme would be implemented in Haryana’s districts of Sirsa, Hisar and Fatehabad; Punjab’s Bhatinda, Mansa and Abohar; and Rajasthan’s Hanumangarh and Sriganganagar. Twenty villages in each district would be covered under the programme. He said farmers needed to be educated on the action required to be taken in case of unseasonal rainfall. They should also be given information on the judicious use of pesticides. The proper plan could be framed under Technology Mission on Cotton(TMC) so that the crop might not suffer loss like in previous year. The need of the hour was to lay stress on improvement of quality and quantity of cotton as the farmers were making a lot of investment in the cultivation of cotton. |
|