SATV, Kathmandu, April. 13 - The Agriculture Development Office, Nawalparasi Purba has distributed almost Rs 450 million in grant to the farmers in the last five fiscal years since 2077/78 BS. 

Information Officer of Office Bishwas Kafle said that the amount was distributed to a total of 951 farmers in the district. He added that the amount ranged from Rs 870 to Rs 50 million based on the programmes. 

According to Kafle, Jugepani Tamangtol Farmers' Group received Rs 50 million under the crop insurance scheme. Likewise, a farmer has received such grants under different schemes as well.

The Agriculture Development Office has been providing grants to the farmers for commercial vegetable farming, fruit garden management and expansion, establishment and expansion of small farmers' agricultural farms, maize seeds production and maize farms promotion, advanced agricultural tools exhibition, small irrigation programme, off-seasonal vegetable promotion and several other programmes. 

Chief of the Office, Rajesh Silwal, said the Office has given top priority for the highway-corridor focused crops production and promotion programme, emergency services and relief programmes, onsite training for specific crops, foodstuff promotion project, vegetables production and promotion, among others in the current fiscal year.  

For the current fiscal year, the Office has allocated Rs 51.7 million in budget and most of the approved programmes were already initiated and some others are in the process, according to Office Chief Silwal. (RSS)