In a fresh reports, the respected Prime Minister of the country Dr Manmohan Singh has called the agriculture sector is expected to grow about 3.5 percent yearly growth during the 11th Five-Year Plan, but demanded on talking it close to 4 percent in the coming Plan (2012-17).
The Prime Minister was addressing the Golden Jubilee Convocation of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) here.
During his speech Manmohan Singh said the central Government is loyal to around double the investment on research and development [R&D] in the agriculture sector by the end of the 12th Five-Year Plan from the present level of 1 percent of gross domestic produce (GDP).
While talking to media, the Prime Minister said, “It now looks as if agricultural growth is likely to be about 3.5 per cent per annum during the 11th Five-Year Plan (2007-12), which is much better than in the 10th Plan. This is a commendable achievement but we must improve upon it in the 12th Plan to reach 4 per cent or even higher.”
Meanwhile, the farm sector of the country remained slow during the 10th Plan period, obtaining just 2.5 percent growth.
PM Manmohan Singh highlighted that a strong-minded effort is required by both Central as well as Sate Governments to obtain the higher growth.
Further in his speech the PM said that agriculture research is an important factor to obtain better growth, according to the Prime Minister the agricultural research system requires to be strengthened to accomplish the future challenges.
Dr. Singh said, “One requirement is the financial resources. Our Government is committed to raising research and development spending as a whole to at least 2 per cent of GDP by the end of the 12th Plan from the current level of about 1 per cent.”
