Excelsior Correspondent
Chandigarh, Mar 11: Union Minister of Science & Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh today inaugurated the first- of- its- kind “National Speed Breeding Crop Facility” at the premier National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI) here.
Speaking on the occasion Dr Singh said, “this initiative is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s priority of doubling the farmer`s income, ensuring their economic empowerment and promoting Agri-StartUps”. He said, farmers will now have the opportunity to improve their crop qualitatively as well as quantitatively.
Singh said “Biotechnology speedy seeds facility will cater to all the States of India but it will especially be useful for the North Indian States like Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and the UT of J&K. Adding further he said “this facility will augment transformational changes in crop improvement programmes by accelerating the development of advanced crop varieties that could sustain climate change and contribute to the food and nutritional demand of the population with implementation of speed breeding cropping methods”.
The Minister said “DBT institute of NABI has developed technology of ‘Climate- resistant crops’ by harnessing these technologies the farmers will not be restrained to cultivate a crop in a particular season rather they will have the liberty to practise farming irrespective of climate conduciveness”.
While highlighting the recent achievements of institutes under the Ministry of Science & technology, he said “Our institutes have specialised technologies in fruit, flowers and crop cultivation through modern genetic means”. He recalled the success of ‘Tulip’ Cultivation by CSIR Palampur, he also recalled the development of ‘108-petal lotus’ by CSIR Lucknow which won an award at KBC. He further emphasised that application of latest technology in the farming sector will add to the economic growth of the country by supplementing modern science and technology tools to the traditional vocation of farming in India.
Singh said “In the 3rd consecutive term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has been projected to emerge as the 3RD largest economy of the world and rise to be the largest in coming years. Contribution of the agriculture sector will therefore be crucial for the Indian economy”.
He informed that the Modi Government is conscious of the importance of Bio-economy and thus the recent ‘Vote of Account-Budget’ had a provision for a special scheme for Bio-manufacturing.
The NABI institute has significantly contributed to ‘Atal Jai Anusandhan Biotech (UNaTI) Mission (Poshan Abhiyan), and Biotech Kisan Hubs for Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana etc.
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