Madhya Pradesh which has been securing prestigious Krishi Karman Award of the Government of India for the last two consecutive years on account of remarkable achievements in agriculture sector, has been short-listed again for the award for year 2013-14. Madhya Pradesh is among five major States short-listed for the award, the others being Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Punjab.
The Krishi Karman Award given by the President carries Rs2 crore.
Giving this information, the Union Ministry of Agriculture has invited Madhya Pradesh representatives to New Delhi on October 14 to give a presentation before the screening committee headed by the Union Agriculture Secretary. The presentation for year 2013-14 will comprise of the strategy and the achievements in the production of food grains and oilseeds. It has also been asked to give information in the presentation about methods adopted for coordination between concerning departments including Energy, Irrigation, Food, credit etc.
Despite heavy losses to crops by hailstorm and frost this year, situation of agriculture is very sound in the State due to agriculture and farmer-friendly policies of the State Government.
During recent years, Madhya Pradesh has stood first by clocking the highest agriculture growth rate in the country. In year 2012-13, the State’s agriculture growth rate was 20.16 percent. It was 19.85 percent in year 2011-12. According to advance estimates, the growth rate is 24.99 percent in year 2013-14.
It is a creditable achievement that Madhya Pradesh achieved 9.04 per cent agriculture growth rate against the target of 2.5 per cent fixed for the 11th Five-Year Plan. As compared to this, the agriculture growth’s national target was 4 percent against which only 2.5 percent was achieved.
Madhya Pradesh is already pioneer in production of pulses, oilseeds and gram. As a result of these achievements, Madhya Pradesh has been conferred the prestigious Krishi Karman Award for the last two years in a row. The State has also bagged Agriculture leadership Award on the recommendation of an expert committee headed by Father of Indian Green Revolution and agriculture scientist MS Swaminathan.
Interest-free loans, increase in irrigation and storage capacity and adequate power for agriculture led to the success. The State Government has made arrangements for providing interest-free loans for agriculture. loans worth Rs39,820 crore have been made available during the last five years. Rs34,000 crore has been provided to farmers as bonus on procurement. Cooperatives loans for farming have increased to Rs11,209 crore in year 2013-14, which were only Rs1213 crore in year 2003-04. Arrangements for bonus to farmers have been made on procurement on wheat, maize and paddy.