W Bengal govt urges Centre to accommodate agri sector concerns

New Delhi, May 29 (UNI) West Bengal today urged the Centre to have a more comprehensive statement of objectives of agricultural policy which may be helpful to accommodate concerns about agriculture sector.

Addressing the 53rd meeting of the National Development Council (NDC) here, State Finance Minister Dr Asim Kumar Dasgupta expressed due concern about deceleration in Indian agriculture with the growth rate of Gross Domestic product (GDP) from agriculture slipping from 3.62 per cent between 1984-85 and 1995-96 to less than 2 per cent between 1995-96 and 2004-05.

Moreover, particular concern has also been expressed about the fall in the growth rate of production and productivity of foodgrains. Confronted with this situation, the approach paper to the eleventh five year plan has taken, as a challenge, the target of raising the growth rate of GDP from the agricultural sector to 4 per cent per annum during the plan period, he added.

Dr Dasgupta said in order to increase the productivity of the major crops, it is essential to increase the use of improved seeds and also ensure a balanced application of fertilizers on the basis of preparation of a soil fertility map of the State. In the use of seeds, the coverage of improved variety of seeds in the state for paddy, the most important crop, has steadily increased to reach 96 per cent and for all crops, to an average of 83 per cent in 2006-07.

On the basis of existing trend, the target for coverage in the Eleventh plan period has been fixed at 99 per cent, for paddy and for all crops at an average of 95 per cent. The Seed Replacement Ratio (SRR) of State in 2006-07 has been 28 per cent which is much higher than the all India average of about 15 per cent and the SRR in the State has been targeted to increase to 30 per cent in 2007-08 and further towards its optimum level duering the eleventh plan.

He said the annual requirement of credit for agriculture and allied activities in the State, consistent with the targets of production and employment generation, has been assessed to be at least Rs 10,000 crore. However, the actual credit disbursement by the nationalised commercial banks, RRBs and cooperative banks has been only about Rs 3720 crore in 2006-07.

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