Date:02/11/2004 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2004/11/02/stories/2004110200641200.htm

Back Centre to launch horticulture mission

Our Bureau

New Delhi , Nov. 1

THE Centre will launch a Rs 15,000-crore horticulture mission, spread over five years, aimed at transforming the country's wastelands into wealth-creating assets.

The mission would be launched next year, said the Union Minister for Agriculture, Mr Sharad Pawar, at the CII's national conference.

He also said the Government had appointed a committee to look into the coordination between agricultural research bodies and private sector.

A committee headed by Mr M S Swaminathan would be set up to synchronise the research done by various crop institutes across the country in line with what the market really needed, said a CII statement.