With the aim of rapid progress of agriculture sector in the country, Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan has initiated State-wise discussions, under which the Union Minister held a meeting with a high-level delegation including Bihar Agriculture Minister, Mangal Pande at Krishi Bhavan in New Delhi today. The Union Minister assured to review the allocation of funds under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna (RKVY) and National Food Security Mission to Bihar and called for new proposals in this regard. Chouhan also called for review to ensure smooth supply of seeds for Kharif season and early planning for supply of Rabi seeds.
Union Minister Shri Chouhan discussed with Bihar Agriculture Minister Pande about the various schemes and programmes of the Agriculture Ministry. Union Minister Chouhan said that the farmers of Bihar will not be allowed to face any problem at the central level. Union Minister asserted that both Centre and State should work as a team to improve agriculture sector in the country and look for solutions in a concerted way. The Agriculture Minister of Bihar called for the need to strengthen Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) in the state and Union Minister assured that he will reviewing the functioning of KVKs. Pande highlighted the production potential for Maize and Makhana in the state and called for Centre support to realize it.
Union Minister of state for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Ramnath Thakur along with senior officials of the Central and State Agriculture and Horticulture departments were also present. Earlier, the Union Minister had met agriculture ministers of Assam, Chattishgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
Maize plays a crucial role in ethanol production in the country. With the Indian government aiming for a 20% ethanol blending target by 2025-26 to promote cleaner energy sources and reduce dependence on fossil fuels, the demand for maize as a feedstock for ethanol is expected to rise significantly. Bihar, known for its substantial maize production capacity, likely to play a pivotal role in meeting this demand.
