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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | To perk up food produce, UPA eyes eastern states by Devesh Kumar

To perk up food produce, UPA eyes eastern states by Devesh Kumar

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published Published on Jun 24, 2010   modified Modified on Jun 24, 2010

IT’S NOW “look east’’ policy for the Krishi Bhawan as well. Keen to extend the green revolution to the eastern states, agriculture minister Sharad Pawar will be holding a day-long conclave with top-level representatives from six states — Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa and West Bengal — at Kolkata on July 10.

On the discussion table will be ways to augment agricultural productivity in this region so as to attain to the levels achieved by states such as Punjab and Haryana at the peak of the green revolution, when average yields shot up substantially because of improved varieties of seeds, increase in fertiliser utilisation, and enhanced power and water supply.

With agricultural productivity in other regions having plateaued, the Centre has now turned its attention towards the eastern belt, which includes Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh, in an effort to step up food production.
"The plans, strategies are ready. We only need put a seal of approval from the highest level on the eastern belt green revolution programme," agriculture secretary P K Basu told ET here on Wednesday

The agriculture ministry is keen to replicate the green revolution successes notched up by Punjab and Haryana in the eastern states, where average yields of crops have been below the all-India figures, especially in rice and pulses. Compared to the all-India average yield of 2,178 kgs per hectare in the case of rice during the year 2008-09, it was a mere 1,599 kgs per hectare in Bihar, 1,176 kgs per hectare in Chhattisgarh, 2,031 kgs per hectare in Jharkhand, 1,529 kgs per hectare in Orissa and 2,171 kgs per hectare in Uttar Pradesh. West Bengal fared marginally better, with an average rice yield of 2,533 kgs per hectare.

By contrast, the production of rice per hectare in Punjab during 2008-09 was 4,022 kgs, while in the case of Haryana, it was 2,726 kgs. It was similar story in the case of pulses, particularly urad, moong and tur, with the agriculture scientists and experts seeing a great potential in the eastern states to enhance their production levels in these food items. Important components of the strategy being evolved by the ministry include a greater reliance on hybrid varieties of seeds in the case of rice, more utilisation of high productivity varieties and increased availability of power and water.

The ministry has, as part of this strategy, had interactions with the power and water resources ministries to seek their help in making the eastern belt green revolution project a success. The water resources ministry has, in fact, constituted a task force ``to ascertain the preparedness of the respective states to make adequate water available to the agricultural sector to ensure a successful implementation of the programme. A similar endeavour is being undertaken by the power ministry.

The Kolkata conclave will be split into two parts. The first half has been converted into a technical session, with senior officials from the ICAR, rice experts and vice-chancellors of the state agricultural universities slated to make their presentations. The second half --the plenary session-- will see the participation of chief ministers and agriculture ministers of these states, besides Mr Pawar and his ministry officials .

The government has also, in the meanwhile, set up a high-level committee, to be headed by deputy director-general of the ICAR, Dr Swapan Datta, to draft a strategy paper on rice.


The Times of India, 24 June, 2010, http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=ETNEW&BaseHref=ETD/2010/06/24&PageLabel=3&EntityId=Ar00300&ViewMode=HTM


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