MISSION STRUCTURE

The council will be the policy making body giving overall direction and guidance to the Mission, and will monitor and review its progress and performance. The GC will meet at least twice a year.

Executive Committee � Government of India level

There will be an Executive Committee (EC) headed by the Secretary, Dept. Of Agriculture & Cooperation to oversee the activities of the Mission and to approve the Action Plans.

The EC will comprise of the following:

The EC will be empowered to reallocate resource across States and components and approve projects on the basis of the approved subsidy norms. EC will use its discretion in approving components of a project for which norms have not been prescribed. The subsidy for such components wills not more than 50 % of the cost for small & marginal farmers and 30 % of the cost for other farmers.

The Horticulture Division in the Department of Agriculture & Cooperation will provide the necessary support to the EC and the GC and will administer the NHM. The EC will ensure smooth functional linkages among different agencies. The EC shall meet every quarter but at least once in two months in the initial stages of the Mission.

   State Level

            Maharashtra State Executive Committee

A State Level Executive Committee (SLEC) will be constituted by the State Government under the Chairmanship of the Agricultural Production Commissioner, or Secretary Horticulture/Agriculture having representatives from other concerned Departments, the SAUs, ICAR Institutes, Growers Associations, etc for overseeing the implementation of the programme. Central Government will nominate its representative who will be a Member in the SLEC. The State Mission Director to be appointed by the State Government will be the Member secretary of SLEC. The State Mission Director to be appointed by the State Government will have the freedom to nominate, or create a suitable autonomous agency to be registered under the Societies Registration Act for implementing the Mission Programme at the State and District levels. The Panchayati Raj Institutions existing in the State should be fully involved in the implementation structure.

State and sub-state level structures will be evolved keeping in view the need for getting adequate returns for the produce of the farmers and eliminating middlemen to the extent possible. The State will have the flexibility to adopt an appropriate model viz cooperative federations in the pattern of NDDB, incorporated companies (with cooperatives for procurement, joint sector for processing and cooperates for marketing) or orient existing institutions to carry out the tasks of the Mission. The services of identified State Designed Agencies which have been implementing various horticulture development programmes such as Integrated Development of Horticulture in Tribal/Hilly Areas, Development of Beekeeping may be availed for implementing the programme in the Mission framework.

  The State level agency will have the following functions.

Prepare perspective and annual State level Action plan in consonance with Missions goals and objectives and in close coordination with Technical Support Group, State Agriculture Universities (SAU) and ICAR institutions and oversee its implementation;

Receive funds from the national mission authority, the State Government and other sources for carrying on the missions activities, maintain proper accounts thereof and submit utilization certificate to the concerned agencies Release funds to the implementing organizations and oversee, monitor & review the implementing of the programme.

Organize base-line survey and feasibility studies in different parts (District, Sub-District, or a group of Districts) to determine the status horticultural production, its potential and demand and tailor assistance accordingly. Similar studies would also be undertaken for other components of the programmes;

Assist and oversee the implementation of the Missions programmes in the State through Farmers, Societies, NOs growers, associations, self  help groups, State institutions and other similar entities.

Organize Workshops, Seminars and training programmes for all interest groups/associations at the State level, with help of State Agriculture Universities and ICAR Institute and other institutions having technical expertise.

   District Level

At the District level, the District Mission Committee (DMC) will be constituted by the State Government.It will be responsible for project formulation and monitoring. The DMC may be headed by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Zila Parishad / CEO of District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) having as its members, representatives from concerned line Departments, growers associations, Marketing Boards, Self Help Groups and other Non - Governmental organizations. The District planning in implementing the programme depending on their expertise and available infrastructure. The Districts Horticulture Officer / District Agriculture Officer will be the Member Secretary.