Seed Minikit Programme

Why is in news? Centre takes timely measures for enhancing production of pulses and oilseeds through distribution Seed Minikits of Pulses and Oilseeds for Rabi 2022-23

• Seed is complete technology and has potential to enhance productivity of crops by about 20-25%.
• Availability of good seeds for farming increases production and productivity, resulting in higher income for farmers besides overall benefitting the agriculture eco system and the nation’s economy.
• Due to the erratic and deficit rainfall in some states, this has necessitated the need for early sowing of rabi crops especially pulses and oilseeds
• For Rabi 2022-23, the focus of the Government is also to provide seed minikits of pulses & oilseeds targeting monsoon deficit regions in the states apart from the regular distribution.
• The minikits are being provided by the Central Agencies such as National Seeds Corporation (NSC), NAFED etc and these are wholly funded by the Government of India through the National Food Security Mission.
• The Government has approved the massive Seed Minikit Programme for distribution seeds of newly released high yielding varieties to farmers with the following objectives:

1. To popularize the latest crop varieties among the farmers to increase the production and productivity.
2. To distribute seed minikits of pulses and oilseeds in the states where rainfall receiving low/deficit during Kharif, 2022 such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, part of the Madhya Pradesh & West Bengal.
3. To cover non- traditional area for rapeseeds & mustard (R&M) in Vidharbha Region of Maharashtra.
4. To distribute major rabi oilseeds as Groundnut for southern states such as Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka and minor oilseeds such as linseed in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, & Rajasthan and safflower in Maharashtra, Karnataka & Telangana.

• The Seed Minikits programme is a major tool for introducing new varieties of seeds in the farmers’ fields and is instrumental for increasing the seed replacement rate.
• The Government is also implementing a special programme (TMU 370) ‘TurMasoorUrad – 370’ from 2022-23 through which 120 districts under Masoor and 150 districts under Urad are being targeted to increase the production and productivity of these pulse crops by ensuring maximum convergence of components in these targeted districts.