Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Mr Narendra Singh Tomar in July said the country needs another green revolution to increase the production of food grains.

At the virtual inauguration from New Delhi of the newly-built building of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) at Hazaribagh in Jharkhand, Mr Tomar said the Government was committed to doubling the income of farmers by 2022. To achieve this goal, a 16-point agenda has been announced by the government in the budget.

“In view of the increasing population, there is a need for a second green revolution to augment foodgrain supply. There is immense potential to bring this revolution in the north-eastern states, including Jharkhand,” Mr Tomar added. Mr Tomar dedicated the new administrative and educational building of IARI to the late Syama Prasad Mookerjee. “Today is the birth anniversary of Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee, who dedicated his life to the unity and integrity of the country and raised awareness about one country and one legislation and sacrificed his life in Kashmir.”

The Union minister said the Government has allocated Rs 2.83 lakh crore for agriculture and allied activities, irrigation and rural development in the budget 2020-21, which is the highest allocation for the agriculture sector till date. He said under the ‘Self-reliant India’ campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced several measures, including an infrastructure fund of Rs 1 lakh crore for the agriculture sector. Packages worth crores of rupees have also been announced for fisheries, animal husbandry, herbal farming, beekeeping, etc.