Planning and Finance Minister, Dr Rameshwar Oraon has urged the scientists to undertake special measures for effective transfer of modern farm technologies to the doorsteps of people living in tribal dominated regions where impact of green revolution was not so prominent.
Assuring his help to the Birsa Agriculture University (BAU) for improving the scenario of farming and farmers in the State, Oraon said he, along with Agriculture Minister, Badal will prepare foolproof plan for filling up the vacant positions in Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) so that these district level agri centres could work effectively.
Addressing the concluding session of three-day Agrotech Farmers Fair at BAU on Sunday, the Minister said Jharkhand Government has started farmers loan waiver up to Rs50,000 from January this year and loan waiver line would be increased to Rs 1 lakh from the financial year 2022-23. The Government is giving social security pension of Rs 1000 per month to 3.25 lakh people and ration cards are being prepared for 15 lakh people on state government cost, he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Khijri MLA Rajesh Kachchhap said the agriculture sector was the biggest employment provider and the State Government was committed to make Jharkhand self-sufficient on the meat front also by promoting goatry, piggery, poultry and fishery. High-tech commercial farming and strengthening of marketing infrastructure was need of the hour, he added.
BAU Vice Chancellor Dr Onkar Nath Singh highlighted the academic and research programmes of the university and said farmers, research institutions, NGOs and agriculture department officials of five states- Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh participated in the event.
Dr Jagarnath Oraon, Director Extension Education proposed a vote of thanks. The event was anchored by Shashi Singh.
Earlier, a kisan goshthi was organised where scientists of the university provided technical solutions to the farming related problems of farmers. Those who addressed the session included Dr RP Singh Ratan, former Director Extension Education, Dr MS Yadav, Dean Agriculture, Dr A Wadood, Director Research and chairmen of departments.
Nearly 150 stalls were put up during the three-day event where different units of the university, state departments, ICAR institutes, dealers of farm inputs and machinery, banks and NGOs had displayed their technologies, products and services.