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Core Purpose

This Resolution reconstitutes the National Committee on Precision Agriculture & Horticulture (NCPAH) under the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, outlining its new composition and Terms of Reference.

Detailed Summary

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, through its Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (Horticulture Technical Division), issued a Resolution dated 1st June, 2025, to reconstitute the National Committee on Precision Agriculture & Horticulture (NCPAH). The NCPAH, originally constituted in 1981 in the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, has been functioning in the Department of Agriculture & Farmer's Welfare since 1993, undergoing several reconstitutions and name changes, with its last reconstitution on 01.06.2022. The newly reconstituted committee will have a term of three years from the Resolution's date of issue. Its composition includes the Union Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Minister as Chairman, Secretaries of DA&FW and DARE & DG (ICAR), Dy. Director General (Hort), ICAR, Financial Advisor, DA&FW, Principal Advisor (Agri.), Niti Aayog, Joint Secretaries (MIDH) and (RFS), DA&FW, Additional Commissioner (Hort.), DA&FW, Principal Secretaries (Agri./Hort.) from Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Ladakh (U.T.), and Assam, and the Horticulture Commissioner, DA&FW, as Member Secretary. The Terms of Reference include developing smart/future farming models like Vertical farming, Hydroponics/Aeroponics, Solar powered Integrated Micro Irrigation System, Automation, Sensor-based technologies, and Artificial Intelligence; developing site-specific advisories for resource savings and waste management; promoting Precision Agriculture & Horticulture; conducting applied research and dissemination through Precision Farming Development Centres; and performing Impact Evaluation Studies. The committee is required to meet at least once a year and submit annual reports to the Government, with secretarial assistance provided by the Horticulture Technical Division and Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) Division.

Full Text

REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99 The Gazette of India CG-DL-E-05122025-268266 EXTRAORDINARY PART I—Section 1 PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY No. 358] NEW DELHI, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2025/AGRAHAYANA 12, 1947 7908 GI/2025 MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE (Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare) (HORTICULTURE TECHNICAL DIVISION) RESOLUTION New Delhi, the 1st June, 2025 F. No. 11/4/2025-Hort.,Tech.II Part (I)—The National Committee on use of Plastics in Agriculture (NCPAH) which was originally constituted in the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals in 1981 has been functioning in the Department of Agriculture & Farmer's Welfare since 1993. It was reconstituted in 1996. In order to make this committee more effective and to bring an endeavour in a coordinated manner for promoting the applications in Horticulture, NCPAH was reconstituted in 2001 as National Committee on Plasticulture Applications in Horticulture (NCPAH). Thereafter, NCPAH was constituted on 01.06.2019 for a period of three years. In 2020, the name of the committee was changed as National Committee on Precision Agriculture & Horticulture (NCPAH). The committee was reconstituted on 01.06.2022 as National Committee on Precision Agriculture & Horticulture (NCPAH) (hereinafter referred as the Committee) under the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare. Now it has been decided to reconstitute the committee as per following Terms of Reference (ToR) and composition: A. Composition: +----+---------------------------------------------------+------------------+ | 1. | Union Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Minister | - Chairman | +----+---------------------------------------------------+------------------+ | 2. | Secretary, DA&FW | - Member | +----+---------------------------------------------------+------------------+ | 3. | Secretary (DARE) & DG (ICAR) | - do - | +----+---------------------------------------------------+------------------+ | 4. | Dy. Director General (Hort), ICAR | - do - | +----+---------------------------------------------------+------------------+ | 5. | Financial Advisor, DA&FW | - do - | +----+---------------------------------------------------+------------------+ THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART I—SEC.1] +----+---------------------------------------------------+------------------+ | 6. | Principal Advisor (Agri.), Niti Aayog | - do - | +----+---------------------------------------------------+------------------+ | 7. | Joint Secretary (MIDH), DA&FW | - do - | +----+---------------------------------------------------+------------------+ | 8. | Joint Secretary (RFS), DA&FW | - do - | +----+---------------------------------------------------+------------------+ | 9. | Additional Commissioner (Hort.), DA&FW | - do - | +----+---------------------------------------------------+------------------+ | | Representatives of four State Governments | | +----+---------------------------------------------------+------------------+ | 10.| Principal Secretary (Agri./Hort.), Govt. of Tamil Nadu | Member | +----+---------------------------------------------------+------------------+ | 11.| Principal Secretary (Agri./Hort.), Govt. of Gujarat | - do - | +----+---------------------------------------------------+------------------+ | 12.| Principal Secretary (Agri./Hort.), Ladakh (U.T.) | - do - | +----+---------------------------------------------------+------------------+ | 13.| Principal Secretary (Agri./Hort.) Assam | - do - | +----+---------------------------------------------------+------------------+ | | Member Secretary | | +----+---------------------------------------------------+------------------+ | 14.| Horticulture Commissioner, DA&FW | Member Secretary | +----+---------------------------------------------------+------------------+ Terms of Reference I. To develop smart/ future farming model such as Vertical farming, Hydroponics/ Aeroponics, Solar powered Integrated Micro Irrigation System, Automation and Sensor based technologies, Artificial Intelligence etc. in agriculture & horticulture and coordinate with product/ component manufacturers/ processors for developing quality standards on products w.r.t precision farming, Developing technology with reduce system cost. II. To develop site-specific advisories w.r.t water savings, fertilizer savings, wastewater management, recycling of plastics used in Agri. Sector through dedicated web-portal and to provide technical consultation, feedback on real time basis. III. To suggest ways and means for promotion of Precision Agriculture & Horticulture in the country and revalidate the cutting-edge technologies w.r.t precision farming practices by dovetailing with International Institutions, Plastic engineering organizations and supporting Government agencies. IV. To encourage, identify and conduct applied research, demonstrations, extension & dissemination of user-friendly weather/ crop based agro-climatically differentiated technologies among end users in the field of precision farming, wastewater management and plastic engineering through Precision Farming Development Centre located in different parts of the country. V. To conduct Impact Evaluation Studies and Agricultural Events on Precision agriculture with a view to collect & consolidate data on plastic engineering applications including agro-textiles by end users across the country for policy measures. The term of NCPAH will be for a period of three years from the date of issue of the Resolution. The non- official members shall hold office during the pleasure of the Chairman. The committee shall meet as often as necessary but at least once in a year. The committee shall submit the report to the Government on annual basis. The secretarial assistance required for the committee will be provided by Horticulture Technical Division and Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) Division of Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare. The Member Secretary will oversee the day-to-day activities and function as Chief Executive on the body. The corresponding expenditure in respect of ex-officio member will be borne by their respective Departments. Dr. PRABHAT KUMAR, Horticulture Commissioner Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi-110064 and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054.

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