Technology Mission on Cotton (TMC)

1. The Govt. of India launched Technology Mission on Cotton in February 2000. The objective of TMC was as under:
   1. To improve the yield and quality of cotton, particularly in respect of staple length, micronnaire, strength, etc. through development of better cotton varieties as well as through improved seeds, and integrated water, nutrient and pest management technologies.
   2. To increase the income of the cotton growers by reducing the cost of cultivation as well as by increasing the yield per hectare through proper transfer of technology to the growers.
   3. To improve the quality of processing of cotton, particularly in respect of trash, contamination, etc. by improving the infrastructure in the market yards for cotton and by modernizing the existing ginning & pressing factories and setting up new units.
2. TMC had four Mini Missions as under
   • Mini Mission I: Cotton Research & Technology Generation
   • Mini Mission II: Transfer of Technology & Development
   • Mini Mission III: Development of Market Infrastructure
   • Mini Mission IV: Modernization / Setting up of new G&P factories.
   For MM-III & IV Ministry of Textiles was the nodal agency and The Cotton Corporation of India Ltd. (CCI) was the implementing agency.
3. Achievements
   1. MM-III
      Under Mini Mission-III, there was a target of development of 250 market yards. TMC sanctioned 250 market yards, however, only 246 market yards reported completion and a subsidy of Rs.231.42 crores was released to these market yards. Thus, 98.4% of the laid down target was achieved. The state-wise details of market yards sanctioned/ developed and subsidy released is as under:

      STATE-WISE NUMBER OF APMCs SANCTIONED/COMPLETED AND PAID FOR DEVELOPMENT UNDER TMC MINI MISSION III DURING 9TH, 10TH & 11TH PLANS
      Rupees in crore
      State	Markets Yards
      	Sanctioned	Completed	Subsidy Released
      Diu (U.T.)	-	-	-
      Punjab	19	19	22.70
      Haryana	20	20	19.93
      Rajasthan	14	14	10.57
      Madhya Pradesh	28	28	28.17
      Gujarat	45	42	39.47
      Andhra Pradesh	48	48	42.87
      Karnataka	13	13	9.75
      Tamil Nadu	4	4	4.17
      Orissa	9	9	6.47
      Maharashtra	50	49	49.32
      Total	250	246	231.42

      With the development of the market yards, the trash contents in the kapas have
      come down significantly. Further, the farmers are enlightened to bring their kapas
      in the APMCs for sale due to better infrastructure facilities.
   2. MM-IV
      Under Mini Mission-IV, there was a target of modernization of 1000 G&P units. Against the said target, 1011 G&P units were sanctioned, however, only 859 G&P units reported completion of their projects. GOI subsidy of Rs.184.75 crores was released to these beneficiaries. Thus, 85.9% of the laid down target was achieved. The state-wise details of G&P units sanctioned for modernization / completed their projects are as under:

      STATE-WISE NUMBER OF G&P UNITS SANCTIONED/COMPLETED AND PAID FOR MODERNIZATION UNDER TMC MINI MISSION- IV DURING 9TH, 10TH & 11TH PLANS
      Rupees in crore
      State	G & P Factories
      	Sanctioned Projects	Completed Projects	GOI Share Released
      Diu (U.T.)	1	1	0.27
      Punjab	19	11	2.18
      Haryana	7	5	1.32
      Rajasthan	2	0	0.00
      Madhya Pradesh	53	46	9.69
      Gujarat	557	506	106.97
      Andhra Pradesh	34	22	4.99
      Karnataka	15	13	2.66
      Tamil Nadu	2	1	0.31
      Orissa	8	6	1.21
      Maharashtra	313	248	55.15
      Total	1011	859	184.74

      With the modernization of G&P factories, trash contents in the pressed cotton have reduced significantly. It has come down to 1.5% as against 3% to 4.8% prior to modernization. As a result of the same the domestic spinning industry is able to get better processed and contamination free cotton. Further, the Indian cotton is accepted world over at par with the cotton of other exporting countries.

   The Mini Mission III & IV of TMC closed on 31.12.2010