Annapurna Scheme: Seed Multiplication Programme in Kharagpur
AS-SMP
Department of Agriculture, Government of Madhya Pradesh
Guidance for businesses in Kharagpur
The scheme aims to enhance the economic status and productivity of SC/ST farmers by providing high-quality Breeder or Certified I grade seeds for seed production. Beneficiaries receive a 75% subsidy on the cost of the seed for up to 1 hectare of land.
At a glance
- Scheme Name
- Annapurna Scheme: Seed Multiplication Programme
- Target Audience
- SC/ST small and marginal farmers
- Subsidy
- 75% on Breeder/Certified I grade seed
- Coverage
- Up to one hectare (min 0.2 ha / half-acre)
- Operational Area
- Within 10 km of 46 specified Govt Agricultural Farms
- Registration
- Mandatory with the Seed Certification Agency
Benefits
Provision of Breeder or Certified I Grade Seeds for seed production.
A 75% subsidy is provided on the Breeder or Certified Seed, applicable for a maximum area of 1 hectare.
The payment of registration fees required by the Seed Certification Agency — application fee, registration fee, inspection fee, and sample fee — is covered from the scheme funds.
Conditions: The produced seeds must be made available to other SC/ST farmers under the scheme at a fair price in the subsequent year. An agreement (Anubandh) is executed between the department and the beneficiary (via the Seed Production Committee or Farm Superintendent) to ensure production, marketing, and payment. The entire agricultural methodology must be adopted and undesirable plants separated to maintain seed purity. Raw seed undergoes grading, processing, stacking, and packing at the Government Agricultural Farm (or Seed Corporation processing centre), with processing expenditure met from scheme funds and the balance deposited in the Government Treasury.
Eligibility
- The applicant must belong to the Scheduled Caste (SC) or Scheduled Tribe (ST) category.
- The applicant must be a small or marginal farmer.
- The applicant must be willing to participate in the Seed Production Programme, with land within the 10 km perimeter of the selected Government Agricultural Farms.
- The program must be conducted in a minimum area of 1/2 acre (0.2 hectare); the maximum area for subsidy is 1 hectare.
- The applicant must mandatorily register with the Seed Certification Agency.
- Crops Included: Kharif — Paddy, Jowar, Bajra, Maize, Kodo, Kutki, Ragi; Rabi — Wheat, Barley. The program is implemented within the 10 km perimeter of 46 specified Government Agricultural Farms across various districts.
Documents required
- Caste Certificate (to confirm SC/ST status).
- Land Holding Details (to confirm small/marginal farmer status and area coverage).
- Agreement/Contract (Anubandh) — executed between the department and the beneficiary via the Seed Production Committee or Farm Superintendent.
- List of Registered Farmers (including crop/variety-wise sown area, prepared by the Farm Superintendent).
- Joint Bank Account Details (if a Seed Producer Committee is formed, held jointly by the Committee Chairman and the Farm Superintendent).
How to apply
The Gramin Krishi Vistar Adhikari (Rural Agricultural Extension Officer) selects interested SC/ST small/marginal farmers (1.5 times the target) and submits the list to the Senior Krishi Vikas Adhikari/Farm Superintendent for approval by the Sub-Divisional Agricultural Officer (priority to names listed first). Breeder/Certified I grade seed is supplied (via Government Agricultural Farms, State/National Seed Corporation, State Farm Corporation, and Agricultural Universities) and distributed by the Farm Superintendent. The registration application is submitted to the Seed Certification Agency within 20 days of sowing; beneficiaries receive technical training and execute an agreement (Anubandh). Registration fees are paid from the scheme budget; produced seed is marketed at prescribed rates, and the supply agency is paid the actual seed cost from scheme funds. Deadlines: Selection — May 25 (Kharif)/August 31 (Rabi/Summer); Seed to farmers — June 15 (Kharif)/October 10 (Rabi/Summer); final expenditure — October 31 (Kharif)/January 31 (Rabi/Summer).
About the scheme
The Annapurna Scheme: Seed Multiplication Programme enhances the economic status and productivity of SC/ST small and marginal farmers by providing high-quality Breeder or Certified I grade seeds for seed production. Beneficiaries receive a 75% subsidy for up to one hectare, and the scheme covers Seed Certification Agency registration fees.
Why it matters
- Seed Production:
- Farmers produce high-quality seed for income.
- 75% Subsidy:
- On Breeder/Certified I grade seed for up to 1 hectare.
- Fees Covered:
- Seed Certification Agency registration fees paid.
- SC/ST Livelihoods:
- Boosts economic status of SC/ST farmers.
Focus areas
- Seed Multiplication:
- Producing Breeder/Certified I grade seed.
- Quality Certification:
- Registration with the Seed Certification Agency.
- SC/ST Farmers:
- Economic upliftment through seed production.
Is this scheme right for you?
The Annapurna Seed Multiplication Programme turns SC/ST small and marginal farmers into seed producers — with 75% subsidised Breeder/Certified I grade seed and covered certification fees. If you are an eligible SC/ST farmer near a Government Agricultural Farm, this scheme can strengthen your income through quality seed production.
Frequently asked questions
How much financial assistance, calculated as a%age of the total seed price, will be granted to the successful participating farmers?
A 75% subsidy is provided on the cost of the Foundation (Aadhaar) or Certified I grade (Pramanit I shreni) seed supplied for participation in the program.
Is it a mandatory requirement for all cultivators participating in this production component to officially register with the quality control institution?
Yes, cultivators are mandatorily required to register with the Seed Certification Agency (Bija Pramanikaran Sanstha).
What is the minimum land area required for a cultivator to dedicate to this particular agricultural activity to qualify for the benefits?
The production activity must be undertaken in a minimum area of $1/2$ acre (0.2 hectare) by the participating cultivator.
Does the land where the production work takes place need to be situated within a certain proximity to designated government facilities?
Yes, the applicant's land must be located within a 10 kilometer perimeter of the selected Government Agricultural Farms (Shaaskiya Krishi Prakshetra).
What is the official deadline for submitting the mandatory application form for quality certification after the sowing of the crops has been completed?
The registration application form must be submitted within 20 days of sowing or before the final date fixed by the government.
If a large number of eligible individuals apply, how is the official priority list for the selection process determined?
The Gramin Krishi Vistar Adhikari (Rural Agricultural Extension Officer) selects 1.5 times the target, and priority is given to the names listed first on the approved list.
Who is responsible for bearing the cost of mandatory fees related to application, inspection, and sample testing required by the certification body?
The payment for registration fees, including the application fee, registration fee, inspection fee, and sample fee, is covered using funds from the scheme budget.
Is there a defined maximum limit on the total land area for which a farmer can receive the subsidized planting material under this program?
Yes, eligibility for the 75% subsidy is restricted to a maximum area of 1 hectare for each participating farmer.
Which specific grades or classifications of high-yielding food grain seeds will be distributed to the selected beneficiaries for multiplication?
Foundation (Aadhaar) or Certified I grade (Pramanit I shreni) seed of high-yielding food grain crops will be made available for production.
What is the obligation regarding the distribution or utilization of the certified quality seed produced under the umbrella of this program?
The produced certified seed must be made available at prescribed rates to other Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe farmers under the scheme in the subsequent year.
How must the remaining 25% of the actual cost of the quality seed, after the subsidy is applied, be settled by the applicant?
The remaining seed cost must be settled by the cultivator either in cash (nagad) or through their own seed, which will be valued at the support price.
Where will the activities necessary for post-harvest preparation, such as grading, stacking, and packing of the raw produce, be performed?
These processes will be conducted at the Government Agricultural Farm or, if facilities are unavailable there, at the processing center of the Seed Corporation or other institutions.
What steps must the farmer take concerning cultivation practices to ensure the purity and quality of the final high-yielding production?
The complete agricultural methodology (Sampuurna Krishi Kaaryamaala) must be adopted for higher production, and undesirable plants (Avaanchhaniy Paudhon) must be removed to maintain seed purity.
Is there any specific legal document or formal understanding that needs to be executed between the farmer and the implementing department?
Yes, an agreement (Anubandh) must be executed between the department and the beneficiary through the Seed Production Committee or Farm Superintendent to ensure production, marketing, and payment are compliant with policy.
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