Centre give more assistance, interlink river to check flood: Nitish

By Staff
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New Delhi, May 29 (UNI) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today sought more central assistance for agricultural development, interstate linking of rivers to deal with the challenge of floods and droughts and renumerative prices to farmers to encourage the farm sector.

In his speech at the National Development Council Meeting on Agriculture and Food Security here, which was read by state power minister Bijender Prasad Yadav, Mr Kumar regretted that the agricultural extension system in the country has become weak which needed to be revitalised by adequately trained manpower.

Pointing out that the state government has established Agriculture Technology Management Agency in all districts of the state, he demanded that the centre should share the cost of rationalisation of the agricultural extension system in the state.

Saying the state government has increased the plan expenditure on agriculture to 121.82 crore, Mr Kumar expressed concern that the Centre's contribution through sponsored schemes has declined to 8.2 per cent of the plan outlay. He stressed the need for huge and quality investment in agricultural sector and said most of it should come from the union government.

He said that the Sub-Committee's recommendation that in the increment investment envisaged in agriculture, the Centre and states would have to contribute almost equally ''is a sure invitation for disaster keeping in view the poor resources of the state''. He said ninety per cent financial support should come from the centre.

The Chief Minister emphasised the need for strengthening public sector seed coroprations by providing financial allocations from the Centre so that crops suitable to the climatic conditions of the state, may be cultivated.

''A functioning institutional mechanism for marrying agricultural research and farmers needs should be put in place'' he said and demanded that demand for fertilizers be adequately met.

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