Stressing on the need for increasing production of pulses and oilseeds, Union Minister Radha Mohan Singh today said the Centre was taking several steps to make India pulses self-sufficient.
"On a priority basis, large-scale frontline demonstration of pulses and oilseeds is being done in 2016-17 to overcome shortage," he said while addressing the 8th Convocation function of Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (IGKV) here.
As many as 150 pulses seeds hub centres are being set up all over the country with the joint support of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), agriculture universities and agriculture science centres, the minister said, adding that five of them were in Chhattisgarh.
"The key purpose of these hubs is to provide rich quality pulses seeds to farmers. Each hub will have a yielding capacity of 1,000 quintal pulses seeds," he said.
Giving a detailed description of the efforts made by the Central government to promote farm research and agriculture education, the Union Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Minister said the budget for agriculture education was hiked to Rs 570 crore in 2016-17 from Rs 405 crore in 2013-14.
Ten new agriculture universities havebeen set up in 2014-16, while the budget allocated to agriculture science centres had been hiked to Rs 745 crores, he said.
Singh expressed satisfaction that the lone agriculture university in Chhattisgarh had inked more than 40 MoUs with leading institutions in the field of research works.
Under the 'Mera Gaon-Mera Gaurav' mission, ICAR and agriculture universities had adopted 10,000 villages, he said.
He apprised that under 'Kisan Pratham' scheme, a forum of communication between farmers and the agro scientists, a centre will also be set up at IGKV, Raipur soon.
On the occasion, Chhattisgarh Governor Balramji Das Tandon called upon the intellectuals to prepare the agriculture curriculum and syllabus to suit the future needs of the society.
Emphasising the need to give thrust to organic farming,
the Governor said a road map should be prepared through which farmers can benefit by adopting bio-farming (organic farming).
There should be minimum usage of chemical fertilisers and extra usage of bio-pesticides and organic manures, he said.
Meanwhile, speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Raman Singh appreciated the students for taking up agriculture education.
"When the entire world is running after 'white collar' jobs, the youth in the state are showing interest in farm sector," he said.
Describing enhancing productivity as a big challenge, the CM said there were times when the agriculture sector had become stagnant, but new research had increased the farm production.
He urged the students to work in the direction to increase farm output.
As many as 1,997 students were conferred with degrees at the convocation. Besides, 26 students were awarded PhDs and 15 students won gold medals.
Earlier, Tandon and Singh inaugurated the first-of-its-kind agriculture museum and agriculture science centre in the university premises.
