By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal: In a rare feat Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ruled Madhya Pradesh has posted the highest agricultural growth for second consecutive year. The state registered an impressive 13.33 per cent growth over previous year’s 18.91 per cent in year 2012. This is an all time record in the country.
Madhya Pradesh produced 2 crore 31 lakh 12 thousand MT food grain in year 2012-13 against 2.03 crore MT of year 2011-12. With this Madhya Pradesh has surpassed Haryana in food grain production and now stands third after Punjab and Uttar Pradesh in this respect, an official release claimed.
In the year 2012-13, Madhya Pradesh has contributed 9.50 per cent to country’s total food grain production of 2553.62 lakh MT. Madhya Pradesh has maintained its highest agriculturally growing state. Madhya Pradesh tops the country in gram and pulses production by posting a production of 31.99 lakh MT gram and 46.89 lakh MT pulses.
Fruitful Efforts:
The creditable achievements of Madhya Pradesh in the field of agriculture are a tribute to well-contemplated committed efforts of the state government for this. Madhya Pradesh is the only state in the country to extend farm loan at zero per cent interest rate to farmers. Last year loans to the tune of Rs.10 thousand 800 crore were advanced to the farmers. This year a target of providing Rs.12,000 crore loan has been set.
Augmentation of irrigation facilities has played a major role in agricultural growth in the state. Over a period of only 6 years the irrigation facility has been increased from 7 lakh hectare to 26 lakh hectare, which is a record in the country. Fertilizers and seeds were made available to the farmers on time. The farmers were provided the facility of advance stocking of fertilizers which saved the farmers Rs.300 crore last year.
Area under agriculture has also been increased considerably over the years. In the year 2008-09 a total of 196.60 lakh hectare was under agriculture in the state. This has increased to 223 lakh hectare, representing an increase of about 27 lakh hectare.
For better coordination between agriculture and allied departments and to facilitate quick decisions regarding agriculture a Krishi Cabinet has been constituted in the state.