ICAR should disseminate information about latest technical tools and availability of high yield seeds among farmers to enable them to reap bumper crops, he said at a review meeting of the ICAR's activities in Bihar, Eastern Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Jharkhand.
Anwar said farmers of the seven states were yet to reap full advantage of the fertile land and availability of underground water in terms of increase in the food production due to lack of technical assistance and asked ICAR scientists to make available agricultural tools to farmers to suit their local conditions.
He said the eastern region has great potential to tap its agriculture resources. As many as 69 backward districts of the country fell in this region with agriculture being the prime source of economic activities.
He also asked ICAR to optimally utilise funds made available to it for advancement of tools for agriculture and recalled that out of Rs 24 crore sanctioned for the purpose under the 11th Plan only Rs 20 crore was utilised.
Anwar said the Bihar government has demanded setting up two agriculture research centres in each district as against one in each district at present.
Meanwhile, ICAR officials urged the minister to fill all vacant posts of the scientists so that the institute could function properly.
