THE Government on Friday informed Parliament that it is seeking inter-ministerial comments on a proposal to merge two Central agriculture schemes - Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana and Krishonnati Yojana - into a single umbrella scheme to provide greater flexibility to States. Minister of State for Agriculture Ramnath Thakur said the Ministry’s centrally-sponsored schemes currently operate under two umbrellas - Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY) and Krishonnati Yojana (KY). An Expenditure Finance Commission (EFC) draft for an umbrella scheme covering centrally sponsored schemes of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare for the 16th Finance Commission period has been initiated, he said.

 

“The draft has been circulated for inter-ministerial consultations,” Thakur said. The single umbrella scheme proposal has been initiated to give greater flexibility to states to take up need-based components, he noted. After responses from ministries and NITI Aayog are received, the process involves recasting the EFC note. Details of restructuring, funding framework, criteria and weightage for allocation of funds to States and UTs will be available when the EFC note is finalised and approved.