Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday dedicated 35 crop varieties with special traits to the nation in an attempt to create mass awareness for the adoption of climate-resilient technologies.
The crop varieties have been launched by the Prime Minister in a pan-India programme organised at all Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Institutes, State and Central Agricultural Universities and Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVKs).
During the programme, PM Modi inaugurated the newly constructed campus of the National Institute of Biotic Stress Tolerance in Raipur.
PM Modi also distributed Green Campus Award to Agricultural Universities, as well as interacted with farmers who use innovative methods and address the gathering.
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel were present at the event.
Speaking on the occasion, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said 86 per cent of farmers in the country are small farmers and the PM's focus has been on enhancing the income of these farmers.
The PM believes that farmers should not be dependent on compassion of others, but should rise on their own strength. For this, several schemes like PM-KISAN and transport facilities through Kisan rails have been launched to empower them, he said.
From seed to market, facilities are being provided to ensure their income doubles and contribute in making India self-reliant in the farm sector, he added.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel thanked the PM for the inauguration of the newly constructed campus of the National Institute of Biotic Stress Tolerance, Raipur. He said this institute will promote agriculture in the state.
"Climate change is a cause of concern across the world. We are seeing its impact in our area. There are two reasons -- one is natural and the other one is a reduction in carbon in the soil," he said, and stressed on conducting an extensive study to ascertain the impact of climate change in the country.
Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Poultry Parshottam Rupala, Ministers of State for Agriculture Kailash Choudhary and Shobha Karandlaje, and former-CM of Chhattisgarh Raman Singh were present in the event.
Here is all you need to know about the 35 crop varieties with special traits:
Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in a release said: the crop varieties with special traits have been developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to address the twin challenges of climate change and malnutrition.
Thirty-five such crop varieties with special traits like climate resilience and higher nutrient content have been developed in the year 2021. These include a drought-tolerant variety of chickpea; wilt, and sterility mosaic resistant pigeon pea; early maturing variety of soybean; disease-resistant varieties of rice and biofortified varieties of wheat, pearl millet, maize and chickpea, quinoa, buckwheat, winged bean and faba bean.
These special traits crop varieties also include those that address the anti-nutritional factors found in some crops that adversely affect human and animal health. Examples of such varieties include Pusa Double Zero Mustard 33, first Canola quality hybrid RCH 1 with 2 per cent erucic acid and 30 ppm gluco-sinolates, and a soybean variety free from two anti-nutritional factors namely Kunitz trypsin inhibitor and lipoxygenase. Other varieties with special traits have been developed in soybean, sorghum, and baby corn, among others, the release added.
About National Institute of Biotic Stress Management
The National Institute of Biotic Stress Management at Raipur has been established to take up the basic and strategic research in biotic stresses, develop human resources and provide policy support. The institute has started PG courses from the academic session 2020-21.
About Green Campus Awards
The Green Campus Awards has been initiated to motivate the State and Central Agricultural Universities to develop or adopt such practices that will render their campuses more green and clean, and motivate students to get involved in 'Swachh Bharat Mission', 'Waste to Wealth Mission' and community connect as per the National Education Policy-2020.
(With inputs from ANI and PTI)