Adopt a village each, farm scientists urged

AGRI MINISTER APPEAL Propagate knowledge among villagers

LUCKNOW: Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh on Sunday appealed to agricultural scientists of various research institutes to adopt one village each to propagate their knowledge to villagers.

Addressing scientists at the Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research here, the minister said, “Every scientist should adopt at least one village, whether it’s their own or in some place else. If 7,000 scientists adopt one village each, it can bring about a big change in the agriculture sector.”

Singh said agriculture was the lifeline of the country and if India was to be strengthened, then boosting agriculture was the way to do it. “Research being done in institutes should reach villages so that farmers can make the best use of it. Gujarat

RESEARCH BEING DONE IN INSTITUTES SHOULD REACH VILLAGES SO THAT FARMERS CAN MAKE THE BEST USE OF IT RADHA MOHAN SINGH, Union agriculture minister

is the country’s most developed state and one big reason for this is its advanced agriculture. The agriculture development rate in Gujarat has been between 11 % and 12 % in the past few years as opposed to the country’s national average of just 4%,” he said.

He also enquired from the scientists about the achievements and problems of their institutes and assured them that vacant posts would be filled within a year.

The minister said the central government was planning to appoint 1000 scientists in agriculture research institutes in the country by 2015 while appointment of another 300 was presently in the pipeline.

Assuring the UP government of extending all support for agriculture development, the minister said Uttar Pradesh could get the country’s first breeding centre if the state government was willing. He said the land for this centre would be required near Delhi.

On relief package for drought hit areas in UP, Singh told reporters that certain information has been sought. “The Central team has made assessment of farm loss in the drought-affected areas in the state, but certain information has been sought from the government which has not been received yet,” he said.