Need to boost crop yield using less resources for doubling farmers income: Niti Aayog member

There is a need to boost crop productivity using less resources for achieving the target of doubling farmers' income by 2022, Niti Aayog member Ramesh Chand said today.

He was at Krishi India 2018/Wellness India 2018 expo held at Pragati Maidan here on August 20-22. The expo is being organised by Exhibitions India Group and ITPO.

"We should aim to get more productivity from less resource if we want to double farm income by 2022," Chand was quoted as saying in a statement.

He also pointed out that export of water guzzling crops like paddy was not in the interest of the nation or its farmers.

Chand also talked about rising per capita consumption of edible oils that has led to huge imports of cooking oils.

In the inaugural session of expo, Minister of State for Tourism K J Alphons spoke about India being the country of wellness.

"The healing powers (of traditional Indian systems of medicines) don't depend on chemicals; it rather depends on the earth. The products that heal us are actually Ayurvedic," he said.

Alphons also appealed for donations to help the people of the flood-hit Kerala.

"Nature's fury has struck Kerala and the wellness hotspot is devastated, with 1 million people living in relief camps," he added.

Exhibitions India Group is a trade promotion organisation creating opportunities for investments, joint ventures and technology transfers.