35 PC growths in food grain production in Chhattisgarh: Agril Min

     Raipur, September 12, 2016: Chhattisgarh has achieved a growth of 35 per cent in the last one decade in food grain production sector, Union Agriculture Minister Radhamohan Singh was informed today.

     The Union Minister today reviewed the work progress of agriculture sector of Chhattisgarh with state Agriculture and Water Resources Minister Brij Mohan Agrawal and asked them to take seriously the soil testing programme.

      Between 2003-04 and 2013-14 the rice production has jumped 39 per cent, Agrawal told the review meeting adding during that period the national average was mere two per cent.

     The state has also achieved a growth of 24 per cent in wheat production, and in total the figure is 35 per cent in food grain production, he said.

     In pulse the state has registered a growth of 13 per cent and in oilseeds it was again 13 per cent, he said.

     The Union Minister stressed for soil testing programme saying it was on the top of priority of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said mini lab should be established in every panchayats of the state as Centre was bearing 80 per cent of its cost.

     Officials said 8,44,835 Soil Health Cards have been distributed among the farmers between the year 2015-16 and 2016-17 in Chhattisgarh. Also in the state 125 mobile and 25 fixed soil testing lab are functioning.

     Talking about the crop insurance scheme, the Union minister was informed that as many as 13,66,302 farmers have been covered under the crop insurance scheme, including 12,09,357 farmers who have taken loans from various societies.