Cabinet takes farming a step ahead with ATMA

THE CABINET today decided to constitute an Agriculture Technology Management Authority (ATMA) to promote private sector participation, extension of public sector and use of technology in promoting agriculture in the State.

THE CABINET today decided to constitute an Agriculture Technology Management Authority (ATMA) to promote private sector participation, extension of public sector and use of technology in promoting agriculture in the State.

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The decision was taken at a meeting of the State Cabinet presided over by Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav. Sources said the Cabinet had given nod to provide the State Government guarantee to the tune of Rs 1400 crore to the UPPCL, which would pay one-time guarantee fee of 0.25 per cent of the loan amount instead of existing provision of 1 per cent.

All agriculture related departments will be brought under one-umbrella to promote agriculture through use of technology and ensure larger participation of women. The Agriculture Production Commissioner will head ATMA at the State level, while DM will head its governing body as chairman at district level and the CDO will be the vice-chairman. The governing body will have representations from farmers, horticulturists, women, SC/ST, NGOs and leading bank at the district level.

Training and management institutes will impart training to those involved in executing the programme. The Principal secretary (Agriculture) will be appointed nodal officer for the programme. The scheme has been formulated initially for 44 districts. As 32 districts have been covered, 38 districts may be covered under the second DASP-II programme. ATMA will be financed 90 per cent by the Centre and 10 per cent by the State Government.

The Cabinet approved the preliminary proposal involving a sum of Rs 14839.42 lakh for construction of building of Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Law Institute being set up at Lucknow. At Sector D-1 of the Kanpur Road scheme of LDA, 40 acres of land, at a cost of Rs 14.56 crore, has been allocated on 90-year lease.

The Cabinet also decided to implement trade tax compounding schemes from October 1, 2005 to September 30, 2006 for brick kilns and from November 1, 2005 to October 31, 06 for cane crushers. The State Cabinet decided to waive tax to the tune of Rs 20,000 due to be recovered from Ram Van Kutir Ashram, Barabanki.