Scientific solution needed to increase crop yield: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today asked the research community to come up with a scientific solution to increase crop yield keeping in mind the shrinking land and water resources and stressed the need for bringing in "right" stakeholders so that the benefit of technology can reach the common man.
"I have always said per drop more crop. We must also think about an inch of land and a bunch of crops," the Prime Minister said at CSIR's Platinum Jubilee event here.
He asked the scientists to work on increasing the production of vegetables to not only address domestic needs, but also for exports.

He also emphasised on pursuing the goal of "time-bound delivery" to meet the needs of consumers.
"Now that we are in the 75th year...We take forward the single point agenda of time bound delivery," Modi, who is also the President of CSIR, said.
He exhorted scientists to undertake "innovative research" especially in areas of health care, agriculture, water resources, waste management and the cleaning of the Ganga.

Emphasising the need to have ease of doing 'Technology Business', he asked CSIR to "bring in right stakeholders so that the benefit of technology can reach the common man".
"A technology is considered successful if it benefits the common man. At times we invent something, but the common man is unaware of it. Can it be modified by as per the needs of the common man?" the PM asked.

He asked CSIR to explore new areas like sports research and manufacturing mobile batteries with longer life.
The Prime Minister also underlined the need for creating a value chain between research institute, industry, NGOs, service providers and consumers.
He proposed for channelising research funds in a "more effective way" and asked the Ministry to create a website on which all research grants and the work undertaken by scientists in different laboratories could be listed.
This will, he said, ensure that there is no duplicity in research, which can save both time and money.
Modi said the government intends to double the farmers income by 2022 for which he asked the scientists to develop some new varieties of crops.

"If you can develop varieties of dal, then it can be used in rain-fed areas and give a boost to production. It will also help to address the shortage of proteins in the body," he said.
The Prime Minister said the 21st century is a technology driven century and "it is important to connect science with the common citizens in this century," he said.
Modi also interacted with farmers from Andhra Pradesh,
Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.
He said technology should be developed taking into consideration the needs of present.
"Sometimes we keep on conducting researches on things which will be used after 50 or 100 years. We should use science to combat problems we are facing now. This is very much important for a country like India," he said.

Noting that the CSIR has done a great deal of work in the health sector, Modi asked how can the institution help combat diseases like tuberculosis, dengue, malaria and chikungunia.
"It is necessary to conduct time-bound researches in these areas. Can we develop a test kit which can help diagnose the diseases. The medical science has become technology driven and there is an opportunity here," Modi said, asking if these issues could be addressed on a mass scale.
He said the world talks about yoga and ayurveda asked if researches can be carried out in that area.
Noting that unhygienic condition is the major cause of illness among poor, Modi implored the scientists to create "wealth from waste".

"With this, we can also address the the problem of drinking water," the PM said.
He also urged the recipients of the ShantiSwarup Bhatnagar award to mentor students of any school or college and "gift" scientists to the nation.
"By 2022, when India celebrates its 75 years of Independence, we can give the country scientists in a time- bound manner and can fulfil the needs of the country," the Prime Minister said.