Govt eyes to raise rice output in eastern India, sanctions Rs 1,000 cr in FY13

NEW DELHI: As Centre gives priority to increase agricultural output and productivity in eastern region, the outlay of 'Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India' scheme has been raised to Rs 1000 crore in the present financial year.

The programme was started in the fiscal 2010-11 in seven eastern states - Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and West Bengal. In the last two years, the amount sanctioned under this scheme stands at Rs 400 crore. The scheme harnesses ample water resource available and also infuses new technologies to strengthen agricultural production in India.

Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar has said that rice output in Bihar and Jharkhand had more than doubled last year. In Odisha and Assam, which were hit by flood/drought, rice production has risen in all the states where this programme was being implemented.

A record output of 55.3 million tonnes rice has been attained by the eastern region out of overall rice output of 104.32 million tonne during 2011-12.