Focus on agriculture would have strengthened economy: Das

Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das today said the country's economic system would have been stronger had the focus been on agriculture instead of industry, which it turned to after Independence.
"We had focused on industry but our economic system would have been stronger had we focused on agriculture, which generates maximum employment," he said at meeting here which sought suggestions from people across the society for the 2016-17 budget.
Elaborating on his government's decision to place a separate agriculture budget for the next financial year, Das said two crore of the total 3.5 crore population of the state live in villages and their development and that of farmers must be carried out to ensure all round development.

Jharkhand, he said could not prepare an inclusive budget since it was formed and this was the reason that 90 per cent of the budget could not be utilised and projects remained unimplemented.
"We have taken an initiative to ensure development of agriculture, industry as well as IT sectors in the state," he said adding these would help generate employment opportunities.
He claimed that change in the state due to his government's initiative during the past one year was "visible".

The government's priority was to improve infrastructure across sectors including education, health, elelctricity and a campaign would be launched to prepare projects from this month end.

From New Year's Day MLAs and ministers would hold discussions with gram sabhas and panchayats to prepare projects so that they could be implemented in time with proper utilisation of funds.
The chief minister asked the Chamber of Commerce and Industries to bring in investment in the state and assured all support.