Rubber Board announces grants for planters

KOTTAYAM (Commodity Online): India’s central body for rubber planters, the Rubber Board of India has invited applications from rubber growers for assistance for replanting and new planting under the Rubber Plantation Development Scheme. 

In a notice issued on Thursday, June 3, 2010 the board had mentioned that applications in the prescribed form in duplicate together with two copies of correct survey plan of the land already planted/ proposed to be planted in the year 2010 should reach the respective Regional Offices of the Board on or before 31.12.2010. Application forms and other details are available from all Regional Offices and Field Offices of the Board at a cost of Rs.5/- per set. 

The application forms in Malayalam and English can be downloaded from the Rubber Board’s website www.rubberboard.org.in also. While using downloaded application forms, an amount of Rs.5/- will have to be remitted at the Regional Offices along with the application. Growers, who send the filled up application in the downloaded form by post, should enclose a postal order for Rs.5/- also along with the application. 

In the traditional rubber growing area, ie Kerala and Kanyakumari District of Tamil Nadu, growers, whose total area under rubber does not exceed five hectares including the new planting / replanting during the current year, are eligible for planting grant for an area up to two hectares. The rate of assistance is Rs.19,500/- per hectare for replanting and new planting. 

In non traditional rubber growing area (all places except Kerala and Kanyakumari District of Tamil Nadu), growers whose rubber area does not exceed 20 ha are eligible for assistance under the scheme. The rate of assistance in non-traditional area is Rs.30,000/- per hectare which includes planting subsidy, cost of polybag plants and transportation subsidy. 

Applications received after 31.12.2010 will not be considered under any circumstances, the board notice stated. Therefore those who are desirous of availing themselves of the subsidy should submit their applications within the stipulated time. 

(commodityonline.com)