Bihar registers record agri growth: union minister

Bihar has recorded 30 per cent growth in agricultural production and is leading the eastern region under the planned efforts to usher in a Second Green Revolution, Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said today.
"Bihar has a total cropped area of 52 lakh hectares and it produced around 151 lakh tonne of foodgrains. It registered 30 per cent growth in agricultural production in the last fiscal and is at number one position in the eastern region, where the central government has planned a SGR. Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are at the second and third positions respectively," Singh told reporters here.

The minister, who is visiting Patna, said though Bihar was at the second position on average agricultural productivity after West Bengal, but had the capacity to become number one.
"Seeing the role that Bihar could play in SGR (Second Green Revolution), the central government has included its all 38 districts under National Food Security Mission to increase pulses and oilseeds production," he said.
The minister, who hails from Bihar and is a Lok Sabha member from East Champaran constituency, said the union government had launched sincere efforts for SGR in the eastern region because it would help ensure food security in the country.

"Currently the the states like Bihar, UP, Jharkhand, Chhatisgarh, West Bengal and Odisha are producing 730 lakh tonnes of food grain, 32 lakh tonnes of pulses and 18.5 lakh tonnes of oilseeds. SGR will double these figures," the minister said.

Singh said the central government had approved Rs 2,828 crore for ushering SGR in the eastern region. Under this, mechanization of agriculture, developing better seeds and integrated agricultural system, seed replacement, soil management, as well as, supply of electricity to farmers by the state governments will be focused upon.
"Various institutions under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) are currently engaged in developing better seeds. They have also developed integrated agriculture models, which are providing Rs 1 lakh to 1.5 lakh profit per acre to the farmers," he said.

The geographical area of the estern region is just 22 per cent of the country with 34 per cent of the country's population and 33 per cent of animals. Around one-third of the nation's tribal population also live in this region. SGR would ensure better livelihood for them, he said.