The central government is planning to turn India's eastern states into an organic farming-hub, union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said here Monday.
"Our priority is to develop Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal and eastern Uttar Pradesh into an organic farming hub for development of the region and to provide opportunity to millions of farmers to earn more," Singh told media persons.
Singh, who hails from Bihar, said organic farming has more scope and potential to change the face of the eastern states.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly made it clear that development of eastern states is his priority and agriculture is very important sector for it," he said.
Singh said without development of villages, farmers and agriculture, the country cannot grow and become stronger. "The government's priority is to work to strengthen the rural and village economy."
Singh said farmers would be given soil health cards. "The government would issue soil health cards to farmers. By using these, farmers would increase their production through right seeds and fertilisers," he said.
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He said the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government also decided to launch Pradhan Mantri Gram Sinchai Yojna to give boost to agricultural produce in the country.
It will be on the lines of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna.