Revitalization of Rivers in India Draft Policy - Isha Guru Jaggi Vasudev

Revitalization of Rivers In India
Draft Policy Recommendation
kind of quality control related restrictions on horticulture nurseries which
do not have adequate production-related infrastructure and pedigreed
mother plants. 7
Under this situation, the National Horticulture Mission has taken
initiative to specify Nursery Standards by specifying infrastructure
required for setting up of a Model Horticulture Nursery. With a view
to ensure availability of good quality planting material, the National
Horticulture Board (NHB) of Ministry of Agriculture (GoI) has started a
system of Recognition of Horticulture Nurseries on a voluntary basis since
2009-10. Under this scheme, so far 1413 nurseries have been accredited
till 2015-16, and these nurseries are expected to renew their accreditation
once in two years. This accreditation system encourages healthy
competition between recognized nurseries to retain their accreditation
vis-à-vis production and supply of QPM. This system would definitely
help to ensure the availability of QPM in horticulture crops. Still, farmers
are to be suitably educated on the need to procure the QPM from these
recognized nurseries only, and the State Governments should also strictly
enforce these standards by suitably modifying their State Seed Acts on
supplying Quality Planting Materials (QPM). 8
Local Self-Help Groups (SHGs) can be given the business of setting
up nurseries and producing QPM to service the local needs.
Project GreenHands of the Isha Outreach program, through its Green
School Movement, has involved school children in planting trees in their
villages. Children under this movement can also be involved in cost effective
nurseries for QPM required for their village’s farm land or forest land.
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