CDP-SURAKSHA:

Why in News? The government has come up with a new platform to disburse subsidies to horticulture farmers under the Cluster Development Programme (CDP) .The platform is known as CDP-SURAKSHA.
The move seeks to push the growth of India’s horticulture sector, which contributes nearly one-third to the agriculture gross value addition (GVA).
About CDP-SURAKSHA:
• The CDP-SURAKSHA is essentially a digital platform.
• SURAKSHA stands for “System for Unified Resource Allocation, Knowledge, and Secure Horticulture Assistance.”
• The platform will allow an instant disbursal of subsidies to farmers in their bank account by utilising the e-RUPI voucher.
How will the CDP-SURAKSHA work?
• The platform allows access to farmers, vendors, implementing agencies (IA), and cluster development agencies (CDAs), and officials of the National Horticulture Board (NHB).
• A farmer can login using their mobile number and place an order for planting material such as seeds, seedlings, and plants based on their requirement.
• Once the demand has been raised by the farmer, the system will ask them to contribute their share of the cost of planting material. The subsidy amount paid by the government will appear on the screen automatically.
• After the farmer pays their contribution, an e-RUPI voucher will be generated. This voucher will then be received by a vendor, who will provide the required planting material to the farmer.

How is the new system different from the old one?
• In the old system, a farmer had to buy planting materials on their own. They would then have to approach the officials concerned for the release of the subsidy.