Government unveils 3-year roadmap for ‘evergreen revolution’

Government unveils 3-year roadmap for ‘evergreen revolution’

 

NEW DELHI: Unveiling a three-year roadmap (2017-20) intended to take farm growth to new heights, Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh said on Monday that foodgrain production in 2016-17 had broken all records.The new crop year too would see record yields, he added, due to the government’s policy interventions, cooperation from states’, and a normal monsoon for the second consecutive year.

Earlier this month, the ministry had estimated foodgrain production for the 2016-17 crop year (July-June) at 273.38 million tonnes (MT), which is over 8 MT higher than the previous record, 265.04 MT in 2013-14, and 8.67% higher than last year’s foodgrain production.

The weatherman has added to the cheer. “The India Meteorological Department has predicted a normal monsoon for this year. If the monsoon is good, I am confident that the foodgrain production will be a new record (in 2017-18). It will boost growth rate in agriculture and allied sectors to more than 4.4% achieved in 2016-17,“ Singh said.

The ministry’s roadmap for the next three years lists initiatives to the growth of farm sector and ensure that farmers’ income doubles by 2022. The new initiatives include use of cutting-edge technology to increase farm productivity , promotion of climate-resilient indigenous breeds of cows and buffaloes, launch of a nationwide programme to harvest the advantages of space technology in agriculture and allied sectors, promotion of deep sea fishing, setting up of seed production and processing units at `panchayat’ level, increase of cropping intensity by 1 million hectares per year through the utilisation of rice fallow areas for pulses and oil-seeds, and consolidation of online trading and inter-market transactions, among others.
The minister said, “The ongoing programmes and new initiatives will definitely double farmers’ income by 2022. It will take the country towards the `evergreen’ rev olution, as desired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.“
However, the minister evaded a direct response on the issue of commercial cultivation of genetically modified (GM) mustard, instead focusing on his ministry’s performance in the past three years. He said his ministry’s role was limited to implement the notified order of the government, whether it was related to GM or non-GM crops.“Whatever crops are notified once the environment ministry and scientists approve it, then our ministry’s mandate is to increase production, productivity , bring down cost of production and ensure right price to farmers,“ he added.
 

 

 

 

Source: ECONOMIC TIMES