Our Bureau

New Delhi , March 26

The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, has asked the Agriculture Ministry to prepare a Cabinet note for setting up the National Fisheries Development Board and National Rainfed Area Authority as part of efforts to double farm growth to four per cent and prevent the country from losing the self-sufficiency status in food production.

The proposal on the fisheries board, which would have its headquarters in Andhra Pradesh, would come up before the next Cabinet meeting, likely on March 30, for final approval, the Agriculture Minister, Mr Sharad Pawar, told reporters after the first meeting of the Agriculture Coordination Committee headed by Dr Singh.

Focus on marine fishing

The Board, to be set up on the lines of the National Dairy Development Board , would focus on aqua-culture, besides the present thrust on marine fishing, Mr Pawar said.

Dr Singh also told the meeting that the higher Budgetary allocations for agriculture, rural development and rural employment "should be properly spent" so that the benefits reached the farmers. "It is necessary to ensure that higher outlays lead to better outcomes in the form of higher farm production and productivity," he said.

The details of the National Rainfed Area Authority, announced by the Prime Minister in his Independence Day address to the nation last year, would also be finalised by the Agriculture Ministry in consultation with other Ministries including Rural Development, Water Resources and Environment, besides the Planning Commission.

Protecting food security

Mr Pawar said much of the Committee's deliberations focussed on protecting the food security enjoyed by the country at present by meeting the growing demand which was expected to go up from the present 210 million tonnes to 254 million tonnes in the next five years and further to 310 million tonnes in 15 years. This meant that production would have to go up by 100 million tonnes or by about 50 per cent in 15 years, the Minister explained.

The need for diversification of farming in Punjab and Haryana, where the focus continued to be on rice and wheat despite the looming water shortage and the deterioration in soil texture, was also discussed at the meeting.

The meeting did not discuss the issues of crop insurance and farm credit as Finance Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, was not present, Mr Pawar said.

Nevertheless, the Minister pointed out that farm credit had gone up by 80 per cent touching Rs 1,40,000 crore in 2005-06 from Rs 80,000 crore in the previous year.

Citing the cases of suicide by debt-ridden farmers in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, particularly in the Vidharbha region, Mr Pawar said this highlighted the need for further improvement in farm credit. "I have been instructed to prepare a detailed programme (for farm loans) for the Cabinet in one month," Mr Pawar said.

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