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NATIONAL MISSION FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE: A TIME BOUND PROGRAMME FOR AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT IN INDIA
Authors: Gitte Madhukar Raghunath
Number of views: 370
Agriculture still plays a crucial role in India’s economic development. About two-third of India’s
population is, by and large, dependent on agriculture and allied activities. The development of
agriculture and allied sectors is necessary to achieve the objectives of equitable and inclusive growth
with social justice. Agricultural development depends upon the availability of basic infrastructure
such as power, roads, railways, irrigation, credit, marketing and warehousing facilities,
communication and telecommunication facilities. The government launched various nationwide and
time bound programmes and schemes for sustainable development of agriculture. National Mission
for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) is one of the eight missions launched under the National Action
Plan on Climate Change. The NMSA aims at promoting sustainable agriculture through 17
deliverables and focuses on 10 key dimensions of agriculture. These dimensions were embedded
during 12th Plan into missions or programmes through the restructuring and convergence. Major
components of NMSA are: Rainfed Area Development, Soil Health Management, Pradhan Mantri
Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, Sub-Mission on Agro-forestry, Integrated Nutrient Management, Soil
Health Management, Balanced Use of Fertilisers, Soil Health Card Scheme, organic farming,
Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, Development for North Eastern Region, Natural Resource
Management Development of Management Information System, Watershed Development Fund, World
Bank Assisted Projects, Sodic Land Reclamation and Development Project, Crop Diversification
Project in Himachal Pradesh and Reclamation of Problem Soils. Due to government support and
provision of adequate funds, the progress of National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture has been
satisfactory to achieve the objective of promoting sustainable agriculture.