'12th Plan must give special emphasis on agriculture'
PTI | 04:02 PM,Feb 19,2012Bhubaneswar, Feb 19 (PTI) Advocating a separate budget for agriculture in Odisha during the 12th five-year plan, a noted agricultural economist has said it would enable the state to achieve more than four per cent growth in the farm sector by giving special thrust and removing hurdles. "Since Odishas economic growth is over 9 per cent, higher than national average, there should be a separate budget for agriculture during 12th Plan period (2012-2017) to transfer the benefits of high growth to rural poor," said Dibakar Naik, Professor in Agriculture Economics in Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) here. "It will give a special thrust for higher agricultural growth in the state. Finally the growth can be inclusive and can remove the barriers on the way to achieve more than 4 per cent growth in agriculture," he said in a special study. Seeking special emphasis on agriculture, Naik said 12th Plan should focus on areas like development of stress tolerant rice varieties for rain-fed areas, development of pulse varieties suitable to Odisha, particularly for sowing in rain-fed areas after paddy crop is harvested. Importance should also be accorded to technology for fertiliser use in pulses sown in rain-fed situation, Naik said, also Dean, College of Agriculture, OUAT. Favouring use of Foreign Direct Investment for developing dependable rural market for farm produce on pilot basis with suitable regulation and price policy at producers level, he said credit should be available to rain-fed farmers. Steps should also be taken for increasing seed replacement and strengthening quality seed supply, including its storage facilities at panchayat level and development of farm implements suitable to small and marginal farmers which can reduce cost of production, the farm economist said. Voicing concern over fall in India's growth rate, he said due to high inflation including food inflation for last two and half years, high interest rate, low agricultural growth, decline in industrial growth and impact of euro-zone crisis, the economic growth may be within 7 per cent in the current financial year.
displayed with permission. Use of the CNN name and/or logo on or as part of CNN-IBN does not derogate from the intellectual property rights of Cable News Network in respect of them.
Disclaimer: Network18 Media & Investments Limited is proposing, subject to market conditions and other considerations, an offer of its equity shares on rights basis and has filed a Draft Letter of Offer with the Securities and Exchange Board of India. The Draft Letter of Offer is available on the website of SEBI at