NATIONAL HORTICULTURE MISSION

National Horticulture Mission (NHM) is being implemented in all the States and Union Territories of India except the North Eastern States, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Uttaranchal (for which a separate Technology Mission for integrated development of horticulture exists) to promote holistic growth of the horticulture sector covering fruits, vegetables, roots and tuber crops, mushroom, spices, flowers, aromatic plants, cashew and cocoa. Programme for the development of coconut will be implemented by the Coconut Development Board (CDB), independent of the Mission.

This will be a centrally sponsored scheme in which Government of India shall provide 100% assistance to the State Mission during Tenth plan. During the XI plan, the Government of India assistance will be 85% with 15% contribution by the State Governments.

PROCEDURE FOR APPROVAL AND IMPLEMENTATION
State will be required to prepare a State Horticulture Mission Documents (SHMD) projecting a plan of action for the X Plan and XI Plan periods. The SHMD will form the basis for preparing Annual Action Plans (AAP). The AAP will be area based, on the basis of existing potential for horticulture development, available infrastructure for monitoring and implementation, available unspent balance out of previous releases and capacity to absorb the funds in commissioning the project. The Ministry of Agriculture would communicate the tentative outlay for the year by April/May if not earlier to each State which in turn will indicate sector-wise / district - wise allocation.

The agencies at the District level will prepare the annual action plan (AAP) keeping in view their priority and potential and submit the plan to the State Horticulture Mission within the allocated sum. The State could engage TSG / Consultancy services for preparing the SHMD and AAP. The State Horticulture Mission in turn will prepare consolidated proposal for the State as a whole, get it vetted by the State Executive Committee (SEC) and furnish 25 copies of the same to the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) for consideration by the National Executive Committee.

The SHM may spend up to 5% of the annual allocation for formulating the SHMD and Annual Action Plans. Attempt would be made in the AAP to address all the issues relating to horticulture development covering production, post-harvest management and marketing. 

The SHM will upload the AAP, as communicated to the National level EC indicating approval by SLEC, on the web site exclusively created for the purpose. The same will be replaced after its approval by National level EC. Attempt will be made to display the position regarding of the AAP on line.

To mention a few of them:

›	Horticulture plantation
›	Poly-Houses/ Shade nets
›	Nursery
›	Tissue Culture- New/ Strengthening
›	Mushroom Cultivation
›	Rehabilitation of Horticulture Park.
›	Organic farming & GAP certification
›	Post Harvest Management- Pre-cooling units, Ripening chambers, Cold rooms, Refrigerated vans, Grading-packing units
›	Human resource enhancement.