Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh today pulled up his ministry officials for failing to identify and recognise through awards those farmers who are doing exemplary work in conservation of local crop varieties.
Citing a media report published today related to a farmer Jaggamma from Medak district in Andhra Pradesh, the minsiter said this farmer has set up a seed bank and conserved 70 varieties in a remote area, but rued that his ministry officials have not taken note of this farmer.
"This news report was published today. I don't think you are aware of it. I will read it to you for your information," Singh said after giving away plant genome saviour awards here.
He told officials that they are not aware of developments in the farm sector reported in the media. "When you (officials) are not aware of Jaggamma kind of stories, what action you will take?"
Singh asked the officials to pull up socks and work in a speedy manner.
Expressing unhappiness over not able to even identify farmers/farming community for such awards, the minister said, "We have not able to give away entire 35 awards every year instituted to recognise the conservation work of farmers. We have maximum given 19 awards so far."
Singh said the awards presented today to farmers/farming community pertains to 2012-13 and directed officials to address the issue of huge delay.
He also urged the farming community to come forward to avail the benefit of these awards.
The award function was organised by Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Authority (PVFRA) under aegis of the Agriculture Ministry.
In the last two years, PVFRA received about 6,100 applications, which is half of the total applications received during the previous nine years.
The minister also asked his officials to take registered desi varieties into the farmers field for large scale cultivation and achieve the target of 1 lakh hectare at the earliest.
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