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Seven Eastern States appear to have brought about a Green Revolution in paddy cultivation. Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Monday said the chronically food-deficit Eastern region has made a quantum jump in paddy output. “In two years (2009-10 to 2011-12) the seven Eastern States added around 85 lakh tonnes of paddy production,” he said here on Wednesday.
The Minister presided over the first meeting of the committee of the Chief Ministers of seven Eastern States for the Centrally-sponsored programme of ‘Bringing Green Revolution in Eastern India’. West Bengal Chief Minster Mamata Banerjee and Agriculture Minsters of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, Chhattigarh, Assam, and Jharkhand were present at the meeting.
After the meeting Pawar said he has accepted the West Bengal Government’s suggestion for the formation of a coordination panel to synergise and expedite the actions under the programme. He would meet the Prime Minister on the issue shortly. “For implementation of the Rs 1000-crore programme for the current fiscal in the seven States it is an imperative to have coordinated efforts among the various Departments and Ministries becomes in the States and the Centre,” he added.
A number of constraints were revealed at the meeting. “Absence of adequate storage facilities, modern rice mills, logistics and marketing and procurement-related infrastructures are some of the constraints that need special attention, he said. The Agriculture Minister pointed out that the stepped up efforts were to be directed towards ensuring minimum support price to farmers and spread of awareness about the quality parameters and grading standards.
Pawar said he had discussed with his Cabinet colleagues in power, finance and water Ministries on the issue of agriculture development in the region. “While NABARD has been giving special attention to increase disbursement of credit and its coverage, task forces in water and power ministries were created to liaise with the State power and irrigation departments for the convergence of their activities with those of the Agriculture department under the programme," he said.
He said a team of central officials would visit West Bengal soon to take stock of the agricultural infrastructure needs. The State has taken its first initiative last fiscal by procuring 19 lakh tonnes of paddy. “It needs to set up more paddy procurement centres as also cold storages for vegetables, milk, fish and eggs”, the Minister said.
jayanta.mallick@the hindu.co.in
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