Pranab says Bihar may see the second green revolution PATNA, 3 OCT: President Pranab Mukherjee today arrived in Patna with a new wish ~ the wish that agriculture be developed into an “honourable profession”. “A professor’s son wants to be a professor, a doctor’s son wants to be a doctor and in the latest addition, a politician’s son also wants to be a politician, but a farmer’s son does not want to be a farmer since agriculture has been adversely affected. I desire to convert agriculture into an honourable profession,” said Mr Mukherjee, while launching the agricultural roadmap of Bihar. The five-year agricultural road map (2012-17) has fixed a number of targets: food security, nutritional security, an increase in farmers’ income to a viable level, the creation of gainful employment, the reduction of migration, equitable farm agricultural growth with the main focus on gender and optimal utilisation of natural resources for the sustainability of production system. The President arrived here to a rousing welcome with many lining the streets to welcome him as his cavalcade left the airport. Bihar Governor Devanand Konwar and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar (right) received Mr Mukherjee at the airport. The President, who is scheduled to attend functions in Patna and Darbhanga, will leave for Mumbai tomorrow before returning to New Delhi. Lauding Mr Nitish Kumar for his efforts to bring about a “rainbow revolution” in agriculture, he said that he shared the optimism of Mr Konwar that many more states will emulate the agricultural roadmap of Bihar. He said: “Bihar is the first destination for the second green revolution in the country." Referring to the first Green Revolution, the President said that due to excessive use of fertilisers the salinity of soil was affected and the water table had also gone down. “These are the issues that require urgent attention from all stakeholders,” he said, adding to have a longer sustainability what is required is to address the issue holistically as the environment has to be sustained. Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, Mr Mukherjee said: “We must strike a balance between the need and the greed,” and “Mother Earth can fulfil the needs of everybody but not the greed of even one individual.” He also cautioned against attempts to achieve “immediate results” and “make a quick harvest,” saying many issues are ignored in this process. The President said as the finance minister, he had in the Budget 2010-11, delineated a four-pronged strategy for agriculture, the first of which was to “extend the Green Revolution to the eastern region of the country”. It was in that view that for the years 2010-11 and 2011-12, a total allocation of Rs 800 crore was made to support these initiatives. He also advocated a balance between development requirements and environmental protection, saying there is a need to learn lessons from the experiences of first Green Revolution. Further, he complimented the state government for the way it had surpassed other states to register the highest growth rate of 17.6 per cent growth in agriculture and 19.2 per cent growth in fish production in 2011-12, including overall food production. The state government's effort to increase the growth rate of development, from 4.9 percent between 1980-81 and 1990-91 to 11 percent in the past five years, found mention in the President’s praise. He will also unveil a plaque at Rajendra Mandap hall and address the 4th Convocation of Lalit Narayan Mithila University at Darbhanga. He will be the second President to address the convocation, after Mr APJ Abdul Kalam did in 2005. Mr Mukherjee's visit comes in the wake of Mr Nitish Kumar’s personal request to him recently. Nitish seeks Prez's 'blessings' for special status to Bihar PATNA, 3 OCT: Rallying support for special category status to Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today sought the “blessings” of President Pranab Mukherjee in this regard. “Bihar requires special status in its endeavour to become a developed state.... I seek your (President's) blessings for it,” he said at a function held to unveil the state's agriculture roadmap for the next five years by Mr Mukherjee. Mr Kumar had launched his 'Adhikar Yatra' last month to create pressure on the Centre to accord the special status to the state. Seeking to establish a emotional chord, he said the people of Bihar have strong emotional ties with those of West Bengal, from where Mr Mukherjee hails, and share similar socio-economic and cultural values. pti