In order to make Agriculture more profit-making business in the State, Agriculture Minister Brijmohan Agrawal, asked the officers to prepare
a draft of a new Agriculture policy.
The Minister on Friday held a meeting of senior departmental officers for about five hours, while reviewing the schemes and programmes of Agriculture Department. He instructed the officers to bring practical changes to make schemes more successful and farmer-oriented.
He said, for the preparation of the new Agriculture policy, Chhattisgarh could be divided into three sectors–Sarguja, Bastar and general sector, according to geography, monsoon and weather of the particular areas. The districts of Raipur, Bilaspur and Durg divisions will be included in the ‘General Sector.’ The Agriculture policy should be prepared, while paying attention on the type of soil and rainfall of the area, Agrawal said.
He said that mainly the departmental schemes and programmes were cultivation based on weather and centred on single crop. The Minister said that innovation in Agriculture sector is needed to make farmers of Chhattisgarh prosperous. The Department has to work according to the changed environment. Agrawal said that the Department should have clear policy and thought for make agriculture more profit oriented in Chhattisgarh. By encouraging farmers, areas of cash crops like pulses and oilseeds have to be increased. In spite of depending on monsoon, it is necessary to increase irrigated area through small irrigation schemes, he said, adding, the officers should prepare action plan of the Department for the next five years.
The Minister, giving practical suggestions regarding various schemes, instructed to bring changes in the rules and procedures of schemes and said that for crop insurance scheme, in spite of tehsil, ‘Phasal Aanavari’ units should be formed by joining 8-10 villages. With it, the farmer would get proper benefit of the insurance scheme. Agrawal discussed with the officers about establishing departmental fund for dealing with the loss to the farmer caused by non-sprouting of seeds supplied by the State Government.
He instructed to open Krishi Seva Kendras in the naxal violence-hit Bijapur and Sukma districts and to arrange seeds and fertilizers at the centres already established.
Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture and Agriculture Production Commissioner Ajay Singh, Indira Gandhi Agriculture University Vice Chancellor Dr SK Patil, Secretary , Agriculture PC Pandey, Chhattisgarh State Agriculture and Seed Development Corporation Managing Director Amrit Khalkho, MARKFED Managing Director SK Jaiswal, Director, Agriculture PR Kridutt and other senior officers were present in the meeting.