Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurated the seed processing and storage facility at Indian Grassland and Grassland Research Institute, Jhansi, an institution under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). Women’s farmers conference was also organized on this occasion.
On this occasion, Director General of ICAR, Dr. Himanshu Pathak, Chancellor of Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University, Jhansi, Dr. Panjab Singh and Vice Chancellor Dr. A.K. Singh were present. Shri Tomar also observed the techniques and reviewed activities of the University with Dr. Amresh Chandra, Director of the Indian Grassland and Grassland Research Institute.
Apart from the institute headquarters, 3 units of this type of seed processors have been installed at the regional research centers located at Dharwad and Srinagar, which have been funded by the Ministry of Agriculture for Rs 3.7 crore.
During the Women’s Farmers Conference, agricultural equipments worth Rs 50 lakhs were distributed to the beneficiary women farmers under the Scheduled Caste sub-project run at the institute/centres.
Shri Tomar appreciated the efforts of the institute for the empowerment of farmers and women farmers through the Scheduled Caste sub-Project and praised the scientists of the institute for the development of more than 300 fodder crop varieties and various techniques developed by the institute.
He emphasized on taking the various researches of the institute to the maximum number of farmers. Mentioning about the various welfare schemes being run by the Government of India for the benefit of farmers, Shri Tomar called for more efforts towards adequate availability of water and fodder in the country.