Centre Increases Financial Assistance for Rubber Sector
The Centre has announced a 23 per cent increase in financial assistance for the Rubber sector under the ‘Sustainable & Inclusive Development of Natural Rubber Sector’ scheme, raising the amount from Rs 576.41 crore to Rs 708.69 crore for the next two financial years (2024-25 and 2025-26). The Commerce and Industry Ministry revealed this decision on Monday.
To support the rubber industry, planting of rubber will be undertaken in 12,000 hectares in traditional areas during 2024-25 and 2025-26 with an outlay of Rs 43.50 crore. The rate of assistance has also been increased to Rs 40,000 per hectare from the earlier Rs 25,000 per hectare, in order to cover the increased cost of production and provide additional incentive to growers for planting rubber.
An additional 3.752 hectares will be brought under rubber cultivation in non-traditional regions with an outlay of Rs 18.76 crore during the same period. Planting materials worth Rs 50,000 per hectare will be supplied by the Rubber Board and planting assistance at Rs 2,00,000 per hectare will be provided for SC growers in non-traditional regions.
The scheme also promotes forums of smallholders of rubber viz., Rubber Producers Societies (RPS) for empowerment of rubber growers. Around 250 new RPSs will be formed and assistance will be provided for the formation of another 1450 farmer clusters in non-traditional and NE regions.
The mobilisation of rubber growers into Rubber Producers Societies will help in improving price realisation for the rubber produced by the growers. Additionally, the formation of around 250 new RPSs will be supported in the next two years.
The Ministry also highlighted its plans to fund rubber research, allocating an outlay of Rs 29.00 crore for the next two years. This research aims at developing rubber clones suitable for different agro-climatic regions of the country to expand rubber cultivation to new areas to meet the rising demand in the country.
With an aim to improve service delivery to rubber growers, the Rubber Board will intensify its digitization efforts and provide fast and instant services through its mobile-based apps and use drones for geo-tagging. An amount of Rs 8.91 crore has been provided for overall digitization of the Rubber Board.
The establishment of three nodal centres of National Institute of Rubber training (NIRT) in NE region Agartala, Guwahati, and Nagaland has been proposed with an outlay of Rs 5.25 crore in the next two years, primarily to promote MSMEs in this region by imparting training in product manufacture and quality control.
Welfare measures are also being implemented to improve the quality of life of workers in the rubber industry, with various measures like Educational Stipend, Women empowerment schemes, Assistance for House construction, Group Life Insurance cum Terminal Benefit, Personal Accident Insurance Scheme, and a pension scheme for the next two years.
The move to increase financial assistance and provide support in various forms aims at promoting the growth and sustainability of the rubber sector in the country.
–IANS
