About Clean Plant Programme:
- It will prioritize affordable access to clean plant material for all farmers, regardless of their landholding size or socioeconomic status.
- The Programme will actively engage women farmers in its planning and implementation, ensuring their access to resources, training and decision-making opportunities.
- It will also address the diverse agro-climatic conditions across India by developing region-specific clean plant varieties and technologies.
- Core Components
- Clean Plant Centers (CPCs): Nine world-class state-of-the-art CPCs, equipped with advanced diagnostic therapeutics and tissue culture labs, will be established across India.
- These include Grapes (NRC, Pune), Temperate Fruits - Apple, Almond, Walnuts (CITH, Srinagar &Mukteshwar), Citrus Fruits (CCRI, Nagpur & CIAH, Bikaner), Mango/Guava/Avacado (IIHR, Bengaluru), Mango/Guava/Litchi (CISH, Lucknow), Pomegranate (NRC, Sholapur) and Tropical/Sub-Tropical Fruits in Eastern India.
- These centers will play a crucial role in producing and maintaining virus-free planting material meant for larger propagation.
- Certification and Legal Framework:A robust certification system will be implemented, supported by a regulatory framework under the Seeds Act 1966, to ensure thorough accountability and traceability in planting material production and sale.
- Enhanced Infrastructure: Support will be provided to large-scale nurseries for the development of infrastructure, facilitating the efficient multiplication of clean planting material.
- Implementation: This programme will be implemented by the National Horticulture Board in association with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
