Pawar calls upon states for investment in agriculture

New Delhi, Jan 8 (UNI) Union Minister for Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Sharad Pawar today asked the states to liberally invest in agriculture so as to achieve the goal of four per cent growth in this sector.

India is a union of states, Mr Pawar said, and state governments though responsible for implementation of policies ands programmes, growth of agriculture was an important responsibility of the Union Government.

Taking note of the nine per cent target for growth in the sector during the Eleventh Plan starting April this year, he also called upon the NRIs to contribute to the overall growth strategy.

''There are more than 20 million people of Indian origin in different countries possessing professional expertise and business acumen apart from investment capability. They are a potential asset which needs to be utilised in the overall growth startegy,'' he said while addressing the 5th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas celebrations here.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the recent National Development Council meeting had stressed that the XIth Five Year Plan would give top priority to redressing the weaknesses in the agricultural sector, the minister added.

During the last three years, the government resorted to short-term, medium/long term startegies to enhance production and productivity, he said.

''To strengthen infrastructure, investment has been stepped up, particularily in case of irrigation, marketing and watershed development. Credit availability has been raised. The target to double agriculture credit flow in three years has been almost achieved,'' Mr Pawar said.

Additional private investment needs to be encouraged through appropriate policy measures, he said adding that there was ''tremendous'' opportunity for private sector in agribusiness especially in the areas related to creation of agri-marketing infrastructure.

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