Centre taking steps to make India pulses self-sufficient: Singh

Stressing on the need for increasing production of pulses and oilseeds, Union Minister Radha Mohan Singh on Monday said the Centre was taking several steps to make India pulses self-sufficient.

“On a priority basis, large-scale frontline demonstration of pulses and oilseeds is being done in 2016-17 to overcome shortage,” he said while addressing the 8th Convocation function of Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (IGKV) here.

As many as 150 pulses seeds hub centres are being set up all over the country with the joint support of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), agriculture universities and agriculture science centres, the minister said, adding that five of them were in Chhattisgarh. “The key purpose of these hubs is to provide rich quality pulses seeds to farmers. Each hub will have a yielding capacity of 1,000 quintal pulses seeds,” he said.

Giving a detailed description of the efforts made by the Central government to promote farm research and agriculture education, the Union Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Minister said the budget for agriculture education was hiked to Rs 570 crore in 2016-17 from Rs 405 crore in 2013-14.