Though system of rice intensification (SRI) scheme was an important part of the Rashtriya Krushi Vikash Yojana, the State Government could not reach the target in some areas of the State.
According to the latest report of the CAG, the SRI was introduced in the State by the government in partnership with non-government organisations (NGOs) in 2007-08 with a view to promote a new method of paddy cultivation requiring lower seed rate and less utilisation of water and pesticide.
The State-level sanctioning committee (SLSC) sanctioned Rs 2.6 crore during 2007-09 under the scheme and the entire money was utilised. The scheme focused on demonstration-cum-training in the fields for farmers. The CAG report maintained that till March 2011 demonstrations over 94,420 hectares (1.6 per cent of the cultivated area under paddy) were carried out and 2,32,450 farmers imparted training. The productivity of paddy improved from 6.4 per cent in 2006-07 to 19.07 per cent in 2009-10. The CAG also noticed in 29 test checked agriculture districts, out of 95,140 farmers trained through demonstrations, 66,977 farmers adopted the system.
In many districts, guidelines of the SRI were not adhered to. It required soil testing to be conducted before and after demonstration to evaluate the extent of consumption of fertilisers and chemicals. But these were not done, making the entire exercise infructuous.