Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today expressed dissatisfaction with the state of agricultural extension system across the country.
Bangalore, Aug 3 : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today expressed "dissatisfaction" with the state of agricultural extension system across the country.
Reviewing the agricultural scenario in the state, he said it also includes Karnataka, despite its leadership in Panchayati Raj.
He emphasised the need for revamping the extension system through communitisation and private sector participation, saying that it should be a major area of focus.
He said Karnataka has a large arid tract, second only to Rajasthan, and called for focussing the attention "much more sharply" on this area.
"I assume that in your plan for improving natural resources you will be focusing on this. In addition to resources available from within the agricultural sector, there is a huge opportunity from the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme to improve private farm lands of farmers below the poverty line, undertake soil and water conservation and improve productivity of land and water," he added.
He went on to urge the State Government to use NREGA funds to undertake a massive campaign for improving all private farmlands of the poor in the arid districts of the State.
Singh further said that the NDC has decided for providing Additional Central Assistance amounting to Rs. 25,000 crores to develop district-specific plans for agriculture.
He expressed satisfaction with a new Karnataka Agriculture Policy, which has five components of improving soil health, conservation of natural resources, timely deployment of credit and other inputs, integration of post-harvest technology with production, and quicker dissemination and transfer of technology.
ANI