CHANDIGARH: Punjab government has asked the Centre to help the state in promoting farm diversification and demanded a technology mission for the same with an allocation of Rs 5,000 crore for green revolution areas in the 12th Five Year Plan.
Batting for the state's case before a high-level delegation of experts from agriculture, animal husbandry, dairy and fisheries led by Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal said that the procurement of alternative crops, especially maize, through Food Corporation of India at MSP should be ensured to help the beleaguered farmers to shift from paddy.
He also reiterated that livestock sector could play a major role in improving the income of the small and landless farmers in the rural areas. However, for this purpose, it must be brought at par with agriculture for the purpose of funding, interest on loans as well as income tax exemptions, the CM pointed out.
Demanding a slew of incentives to promote dairying in a big way, Badal urged Pawar to grant exemption from custom duty for import of machinery relating to dairy, poultry, feed and fodder, besides additional allocation under various dairy development schemes.
Punjab government has also asked the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to revise the quality norms with regard to cow milk. In Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh, this milk is required to have 4% fat. For all other parts of the country, these standards vary and the requirement of fat was only 3.5%. The milk of high yielding cross bred cows contain about 3.5% fat and there is dire need to rationalize the standards, said the CM.
Parkash Singh Badal wants Rs 5,000 crore to diversify crop
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Parkash Singh Badal wants Rs 5,000 crore to diversify crop
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Parkash Singh Badal wants Rs 5,000 crore to diversify crop
