T’puram: Following a meeting between agriculture minister T Siddique and his Union counterpart Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Kerala has been granted a special relaxation in the funding cap for paddy cultivation infrastructure schemes.During talks held in Delhi with Chouhan, Siddique also sought special financial assistance for various agricultural projects in the state.The Union agriculture minister assured Siddique that Kerala would receive a special exemption from the 10% spending ceiling fixed under centrally sponsored schemes for infrastructure related to paddy and rice.This followed the state minister’s observation that the expenditure finance committee’s recommendation to limit spending on wheat, paddy and rice-linked projects to 10% of the total allocation had adversely affected Kerala.The move is expected to benefit farmers and enable the state to channel more funds into paddy cultivation, said a statement.Kerala produces only around 20% of the rice it requires. Taking this into account, the state had requested a special relaxation under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana in the spending cap for paddy- and rice-related infrastructure development.The Pragati scheme marks an important national step toward a new agriculture development model driven by technology, markets and entrepreneurship.The Union agriculture minister assured that Kerala could be included in the scheme, which aims to create rural agri-entrepreneurs and make the agricultural sector more productive and enterprise-oriented. Kerala had not been included in the programme so far.Kerala informed the Union minister of the need to reclassify the state from the category with high micro-irrigation coverage to one with lower coverage. The Union agriculture minister said the request would be considered.“Centre also accepted Kerala’s request to allow the state’s agricultural portal, Kathir, access to the AgriStack databases, including the farmer registry and crop registry. This will make data sharing possible and improve the efficiency of agricultural services,” the statement said.On Kerala’s demand for the immediate release of Rs 12.14 crore pending under the PM-Kisan scheme since 2021–22, Centre informed the state that action would be taken, the statement said.The Union minister assured that steps would be taken to recognise rubber rollers as farm machinery eligible for subsidy under the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) scheme.“The Centre also assured that Rs 16.47 crore due to the state under the horticulture scheme for the 2025–26 financial year would be released,” the statement added.Centre has, in principle, also agreed to Kerala’s request for a special scheme and financial assistance to revive coconut productivity. Chouhan also promised that Kerala would receive special consideration once the relevant norms are issued. Centre further said Kerala’s request to establish the Kuttiady Coconut Industrial Park would be examined in the next stage.It was decided to hold follow-up discussions on upgrading Pilicode Regional Agricultural Research Centre and Balaramapuram Coconut Research Centre into centres of excellence in order to strengthen the research infrastructure of Kerala Agricultural University. Centre also assured Kerala that steps would be taken to extend the duration of 11 projects approved under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana.
