Power

· Allocation under Accelerated Power Development and Reform Programme (APDRP) increased by 160 per cent to Rs.2,080 crore in B.E. 2009-10 over B.E. 2008-09.

Gas

· Blueprint to be developed for long distance gas pipelines leading to a National Gas Grid to facilitate transportation of gas across the length and breadth of the country.

Assam Gas Cracker Project

· Outlay for Assam Gas Cracker Project stepped up suitably in B.E. 2009-10.

AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT

· Target for agriculture credit flow set at Rs.3,25,000 crore for the year 2009-10.

In 2008-09 agriculture credit flow was at Rs.2,87,000 crore.

· Interest subvention scheme for short term crop loans up to Rs.3 lakh per farmer at the interest rate of 7 per cent per annum to be continued. Additional subvention of 1 per cent to be paid from this year, as incentive to those farmers who repay short term crop loans on schedule. Additional allocation of Rs.411 crore over Interim B.E. 2009-10 made for this.

Debt Relief for Farmers

· Time given to the farmers having more than two hectares of land to pay 75 per cent of their overdues under Debt Waiver and Debt Relief Scheme extended from 30th June, 2009 to 31st December, 2009.

· Taskforce to be set up to examine the issue of debt taken by a large number of farmers in some regions of Maharashtra from private money lenders who were not covered by the loan waiver scheme announced last year.

Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme

· Allocation under Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) increased by 75 per cent over B.E. 2008-09.

... contd.