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

Revitalization of Rivers In India
Draft Policy Recommendation
Needs of hi‐tech commercial horticulture sector cannot be fulfilled by providing
them with very basic tools and equipments like potato peeler, potato‐slicers,
banana comb‐cutters, potato planters and diggers. This explains our heavy
dependence on imported technology for manufacturing micro‐irrigation systems,
fertigation systems, farm machinery and tools, lab equipment, design of
structures for protected cultivation, cold chain infrastructures, machinery and
equipment for pack‐houses, refrigerated transport system etc.
Technology for export quality production of several crops is mostly given to
producers by overseas buyers; for example‐ grapes, banana, gherkins, walnut, cut
& frozen fruits and vegetables and cut‐flowers. In a number of cases, the overseas
buyers are also imparting training for production, PHM and supplying packing
materials too. Some of our public institutions are working in close liaison with
our farmers, overseas buyers, etc. to adapt such technologies to Indian conditions
and adopt them in our farming system. However, our own R & D in this regard is
lagging behind.
Inputs regarding infrastructure design for protected cultivation are largely coming
from the private sector. Schemes of horticulture development prescribe various
types of poly houses and shed‐nets without having technical specifications for
each of them. Even the cost norms for such structures have been fixed without
any cost analysis, which combined with direct interface between suppliers and
implementing agencies has resulted in higher cost norms.
Scientists dealing with post harvest engineering technology are not able to
combine the knowledge of life‐sciences, which is essential for designing PHM
infrastructure for fresh horticulture produce. As a result, technical design
specifications for mushroom production units, fruit ripening units, reefer vans,
cold storages, etc. had not been firmed up and cost norms are often fixed by heavy
dependence on inputs from suppliers / manufacturers.
(Planning Commission, op. cit.)
Annexures
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