India's Agriculture Minister Reviews Farming in Maharashtra
INDIA - Indian agriculture minister, Radha Mohan Singh held a review meeting in Mumbai with state government officials of agriculture and animal husbandry department.Mr Singh discussed all the issues relating to agriculture and allied sectors and instructed state government officials to give priority in providing soil health cards to all farmers in the next three years.
State government should come forward in making effective use of Kisan Vikas Kendra (KVK) (Farmers development Center) for extension work, Mr Singh stressed, and called upon each scientist to adopt a village for personally monitoring the extension activities.
The minister said that he wants the state government to ensure coordination between state agriculture universities, KVKs and government officials.
Mr Singh also suggested that a cow sanctuary project may be prepared on the same lines as in Madhya Pradesh.
Mr Singh expressed his concern for the decreasing number of livestock population in the State as per the latest census and instructed government officials to take quick action on dairy expansion and Gokul Mission activities in an area of about 2,000 acres in Aarey colony.
State government should speed up implementation of schemes and send proposals to the government of India along with a utilisation certificate so that maximum earmarked funds may be allocated.
Mr Singh also asked dairy cooperatives to submit projects for modernisation to the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC).
State government should ensure proper coordination with the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) so that funds worth $10 million allocated under this head may be fully utilised, Mr Singh said.