Chief Minister Raman Singh on Saturday inaugurated the first Potato Research Centre of the State at Mainpat in Surguja district. This research centre will work under the Indira Gandhi Agriculture University.

On the occasion he said that the research centre would be proved useful in promoting potato cultivation in a scientific method. Under the guidance of this centre, farmers of the State would be successful in increasing more potato production and extension of potato cultivation area, he added.

The Chief Minister dedicated the streetlight extension work from Kamleshwar Chowk to Motel costing `28 lakh to the people.

In-charge and chief scientist of the Potato Research Centre Dr RK Mishra said that the centre would operate from Barima in Mainpat. With the establishment of the centre, potato farmers of Surguja, Korea, Surajpur, Balrampur, Jashpur and Raigarh districts will get direct benefit of it.

He said that during the Kharif season, the climate of these hilly areas was favourable for potato production, but a study conducted in the last 10 years showed that because of infected seed and unscientific method of cultivation the potato production area has shrunken from 10,000 hectare to 1,000 hectare.

At present, the research centre will exhibit hybrid quality potato seeds like Khyati, Pukhraj and Flysona from Shimla in 15-acre land of tribal farmers.

The farmers will be imparted training and provide scientific information time to time. The State Government and the Indira Gandhi Agriculture University have prepared a work plan for research in fruit varieties cultivated in winter season.

Home, Jail and Cooperatives Minister Nankiram Kanwar, school education and PWD Minister Brijmohan Agrawal, chairman Chhattisgarh Tourism Board Krishna Kumar Rai and other peoples' representatives and departmental officers were present on the occasion.