State Agri growth rate to be 11.6 pc in 3 years

New Delhi, May 1 (PTI) Hailing Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for setting up the first of a kind special cabinet on agriculture, agri expert Mangala Rai has said farm sector growth rate in Bihar can double from 5.8 per cent to 11.6 per cent in the next three years.
“I do not see any reason why agricultural growth rate of Bihar can”t be doubled from 5.8 per cent at present in the next three years, provided all the logistics thought of for integrated growth of agri there are properly harnessed,” Rai, former Director General of ICAR and who has been appointed as Agriculture Advisor to the Bihar CM, told PTI.
Through improving irrigation system, judicious use of fertiliser and making available quality seeds to farmers, the average productivity of staple foodgrain crops like wheat and rice could be easily doubled to 4 tonnes per hectare in the near future, he said.
Rai, who had made a comprehensive presentation on speeding farm growth in the eastern state at the special cabinet on April 26 last, said there was huge possibility of increasing production of veggies and fruits in the state.
He also mentioned the possibility of harnessing potential in the field of fishery, livestocks and poultry in Bihar.
Chaired by the CM, the historic cabinet meeting on agriculture was attended by Deputy Chief Minister S K Modi, besides 17 other ministers of different departments, including water resources, irrigation, energy, rural works, sugarcane industry, animal husbandry and disaster management to draw an agriculture model for the state.
Agriculture department is the nodal department.
The meeting decided to set up 14 committees on Water, cooperative, agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries, disaster management, soil conservation, research, bio-tech, information technology and, market storage and processing.
“These committees have been told to send recommendations before the next special cabinet on agriculture on June 15, which will discuss them comprehensively,” he added.
A world-renowned agri expert, Rai has served as President of the prestigious National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, which is a premier body of over 460 eminent agricultural scientists in India and abroad including 5 World Food laureates.
He has also worked in the Scientific Advisory Committee to the Cabinet and on the Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister. .