Myagdi. The Gandaki state government has distributed more than Rs 20 million grant in the fiscal year 2081/82 BS to the farmers cultivating fruits, vegetables, food and spices.

Myagdi Agriculture Knowledge Centre under the Ministry of Agriculture, Cooperatives and Land Management has distributed a grant of Rs 21.29 million. Centre’s chief Sanjeev Bastola shared that 86 per cent of the Rs 24.74 million allocated for 12 grant programmes has been spent.

“The programme has been implemented by collecting applications through public notice, on-site inspection, evaluation and signing agreements with selected groups, cooperatives and farms as per the state government’s procedure,” he said. ’

A total of 81 minitillers, 10 kutani pisani mills, 82 sprayers, seven brush cutters, 29,150 metres of pipes, 53 hill tanks, 600 metres irrigation wells and 16 irrigation ponds have been constructed through last year’s plans and programmes.

A grant of Rs 8.76 4 million has been provided to 30 cooperatives and groups associated with 793 farmers who have cultivated potatoes in 1,250 ropanis of land through the Khayan Potato Promotion Project at the community level with the highest budget of Rs 12 million.

A total of 43 groups, cooperatives and farms, which have expanded orange orchards in 370 ropanis and expanded orange orchards in 40 ropanis, have received a grant of Rs 4.71 4 million for the purchase of technology, infrastructure, pesticides and tools under the Orange Fruit Development Project.

Rs 866,000 has been provided through vegetable crop project, Rs 992,000 through food crop promotion programme, Rs 663,000 through fruit garden management and strengthening assistance programme, Rs 720,000 for establishment and expansion of fruit gardens and Rs 598,000 through spice and exportable crop promotion project.

According to agriculture knowledge center, rs 761,000 has been provided through traditional crop processing and marketing promotion program, Rs 928,000 through traditional crop production promotion program, Rs 1.786 million through rural nutrition protection program and Rs 498,000 through climate-friendly technology promotion program. A total of 999 participants have participated in various technical trainings conducted by the centre.