State government is trying to decrease area under paddy

In order to give a fillip to maize research and cultivation in the state, the Punjab government has approved transfer of 100 hectares in Ladowal near Ludhiana free to the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) for setting up a Directorate of Maize Research in the state. The step is likely to give a major thrust to the much-needed agricultural diversification programme in Punjab. This endeavour would also help in development of new hybrid and high-yielding varieties of maize, thereby contributing in improving farmers' incomes.

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha appears to have missed the second green revolution, already.

Even though the state received Rs 217.25 crore under the centrally-funded 'Bringing the Green Revolution to Eastern India' (BGREI) programme in 2012-13, second to only West Bengal's allocation of Rs 269 crore, the yield has actually nosedived in Odisha since its launch in 2010-11. This has raised question marks over the implementation strategy because the scheme under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana gives top priority to boost rice production.

The Budget has provided ample resources for farmers and the farm sector even in a year of fiscal blight.

The Union Budget sought to consolidate the "remarkable progress" achieved in government's efforts to extend green revolution to eastern India by deciding to continue with the Rs 1,000-crore support

The budget signals a decisive shift to high-value agriculture with allocations for crop diversification in the Indo-Gangetic belt, nutri-farms for growing fortified food crops, Farmer Producer Orga

Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Thursday announced a sharp increase of Rs 1.25 lakh crore in agriculture credit target to Rs 7 lakh crore for next fiscal and allocated additional Rs 10,000 crore in subsidy for implementing the Food Security Bill.

He also allocated 22 per cent more funds to Agriculture Ministry at Rs 27,049 crore for the 2013-14 fiscal, of which Rs 3,415 crore has been earmarked for farm research.

Economic Survey 2013: Agriculture reforms must, says report. With agriculture growth rate falling short of the 4 per cent target in last five years, the sector needs urgent reforms to boost crop yields and private investment in infrastructure so as to motivate farmers and feed the growing population.

The farm sector achieved 3.6 per cent growth during the 11th Five year Plan (2007-12), falling short of the 4 per cent growth target, although it was much higher than growth of 2.5 and 2.4 per cent during 9th and 10th Plans, it added.