Agri dept mulls policy to ensure enough crops in next 20 years

KOLKATA: The state Agriculture department is contemplating to frame a policy to ensure sufficient production of crops in proportion to the growth of population in the next 20 years.

"The population is increasing every day. So I felt that there is a need to introduce a policy to ensure that the production of crops can be increased proportionately and directed the officers to look into its feasibility. Just think, what would be the population after 20 to 25 years. That is the reason why we have to get prepared from now on so that the state can become self-sufficient in production of most crops like rice and potato," said state Agriculture minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee gave the portfolio to Chattopadhyay in the third term of her government. He chaired the first meeting on Wednesday at the conference room of the Agriculture department at Nabanna.

In the meeting, the minister told all concerned officers that timely implementation of projects maintaining transparency should be the first priority for the department as a whole.

The state Agriculture department has also initiated the task of collecting details of losses incurred by farmers due to damage of crops as heavy rainfall lashed many districts in the past two to three days.

State Industry Minister Partha Chatterjee said working as a true lieutenant of the Chief Minister, he would execute all tasks for industrialisation as per her directions.

He also stated that steps would be taken to ensure sufficient supply of oxygen cylinders at this time of Covid. Both state Youth Affairs minister Aroop Biswas and Minister of State of the department Manoj Tiwari met the representatives of different clubs, including East Bengal and Mohun Bagan. There were discussions held on how different infrastructure can be utilised in the fight against Covid.

Newly appointed state Food minister Rathin Ghosh also held a high level meeting on the first day of his office as the minister of the department. He was welcomed by the senior officers of the department when he went to Khadya Bhavan.

State Public Health Engineering (PHE) Minister Pulak Roy also held a high-level in his department and prepared a detailed plan of action to ensure supply of safe drinking water to every household in the state.

It was also the first day in office for newly-appointed PWD minister Moloy Ghatak. He held a high-level meeting with the senior officers and engineers to get a brief account of the ongoing projects in different parts of the state. He also directed to give priority to development and maintenance of infrastructure needed to fight Covid.