Central agri team holds talks with Modi

Gandhinagar, Dec 22 (UNI) An expert team led by Mr Prem Narayan, a Joint Secretary in the Agriculture Ministry at the Centre, held discussions with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today on the problems that the state faces regarding dry soil conditions, fallow lands and agriculture activity.

The expert group had a word of praise for the state government's determination to take agriculture production above the 13 per cent growth rate and double the income of farmers in the next five years.

It also lauded the government's efforts in ensuring the jump in agriculture production from Rs 9,000 crore to Rs 34,000 crore in the last three years, which it said was a record.

Mr Modi urged the team that since the country's economy is predominantly agriculture-based the focus should be on the earnings of farmers taking into consideration the dry and fallow lands and rain-dependent farming instead of on the overall agriculture output.

The chief minister said those states which are seriously involved in dry land farming and developing fallow lands should get at least 20 per cent from the central funds in the next Plan.

Also present at the meeting was Gujarat's Additional Chief Secretary (Agriculture) Avinash Kumar.

The expert team will submit its report to the National Development commission.

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