Patna: President Pranab Mukherjee today advocated a balance between development requirements and environmental protection, saying there is a need to learn lessons from the experiences of first green revolution.
Mukherjee, in his address while launching of Agriculture Roadmap of Bihar for the next five years, said, “Bihar should be the first destination for second agriculture revolution which missed eastern India”.
Lauding Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for his efforts to bring about a ‘rainbow revolution’ in agriculture, he said that he shared the optimism of the state Governor Devanand Kunwar that many more states will emulate the agriculture roadmap of Bihar.
“There is a need to ensure that farmers get immediate price of the produce and they should also get the share of the increased prices when the prices go up,” the President, who is on his maiden visit to Bihar after assuming the high office in July, said.
Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, Mukherjee said, “We must strike a balance between the need and greed”, saying, “Mother earth can fulfil the need of everybody but not the greed of even one individual.”
He also cautioned against attempts to achieve ‘immediate results’ and ‘make a quick harvest’, saying many issues are ignored in this process.
The President arrived here to a rousing welcome with people in large numbers lining the streets to welcome him as his cavalcade left the airport. Bihar Governor Devanand Konwar and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar received Mukherjee at the airport.
The President, who is scheduled to attend functions in Patna and Darbhanga, will be proceeding to Mumbai tomorrow before returning to the capital.
In lighter vein, Mukherjee said, “…Nowadays we hear that a politician’s son is aspiring to be a politician, but a farmer’s son does not aspire to become a farmer.”
This was because of lack of social recognition to the ‘annadata’, he said.
Referring to the first green revolution, the President said due to excessive use of fertilizers the salinity of soil was affected and the water table also went down.
He said, “Even the international community is concerned about the degradation of environment, particularfly those who exploited mother earth most cruelly.
“These are the issues that require urgent attention from all stakeholders,” he said, adding that to have a longer sustainability what is required is to address the issue holistically as the environment has to be sustained.
The President said, “There is no internal contradiction between development requirement and environment.”
The Bihar government “deserves congratulations and appreciation from all of us…My congratulations to the Chief minister”, he said, pointing out that the average rate of development in Bihar which was 4.9 per cent between 1980-81 and 1990-91 has risen to 11 per cent in last five years.
Mukherjee will also unveil a plaque of Rajendra Mandap hall and address the 4th convocation of Lalit Narayan Mithila University at Darbhanga. He will be the second President to address the convocation, after APJ Abdul Kalam did so in 2005.
Mukherjee’s visit comes in the wake of Bihar Chief minister’s personal request to him recently. Kumar’s party JD -U, despite being a key constituent of NDA, had voted for Mukherjee in the Presidential election after going against its ally BJP which had backed P A Sangma.
The President will leave tomorrow for Mumbai where he will inaugurate the 7th Edition of India CHEM 2012, an event of the chemicals and petrochemicals industry.
