PM to honour states that achieved high foodgrain output

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will honour five states, including Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, for achieving high foodgrain production in 2010-11 fiscal at a function here on Saturday.

The other three states which will get Rs 2 crore award are Orissa, Assam and Tripura, an ICAR (Indian Council for Agricultural Research) release said.

In addition, the PM will give away cash awards of Rs 1 crore to different states in individual crop category.

While Chhattisgarh will receive the award for rice, Haryana has been chosen for wheat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan for pulses and Karnataka for coarse cereal production.

Apart from presenting awards, the PM will also deliver the 83rd Foundation Day lecture of ICAR at the function on July 16, the release added.

In the same function, Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar will present ICAR's first Norman Borlaug award to a renowned agricultural scientist for the work having a bearing on climate change strategies.

The award has been named after renowned agricultural scientist and noble laureate Norman E Borlaug who was instrumental in ushering green revolution in the country.

This year the agriculture body has finalised 85 awards under 17 categories for ICAR awards 2009-10.

These comprise 13 institutions, 59 scientists, 10 farmers and 3 journalists. There are 9 women scientists and one woman farmer among the awardees.

Ministers of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Harish Rawat and Charan Das Mahant will also attend the function.