Agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh is open to the idea of using genetically modified (GM) technology to increase farm productivity, saying the government will go for it "if it is absolutely necessary".

After taking charge of his ministry, Singh on Wednesday hinted at the possibility and spelt out his plan to launch big-ticket schemes in the farm sector including a nation-wide "rural irrigation programme" and a "new insurance scheme" to protect farmers' income in case of crop failure.

Singh's stand on GM technology is in tune with his party's position over this controversial issue as the BJP doesn't categorically oppose the move. It, however, makes it clear that the transgenic foods will not be allowed "without full scientific evaluation on its long-term effects on soil, production and biological impact on consumers" - the stand taken by the previous UPA government.

Sticking to BJP's manifesto which spoke about "protection and promotion of cow and its progeny", Singh, an old RSS hand and five-time MP from East Champaran in Bihar, said his ministry would work to conserve "indigenous breeds of cows".

In his first meeting with officials, he is learnt to have asked them to prepare a roadmap to implement the "doable" suggestions as reflected in the BJP's manifesto including amendments in the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Act and cooperative laws within "two to three months" (100 days).

"I held a meeting with ministry officials and we have decided that we will bring 'Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sinchayee Yojana' similar to the 'Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojana' which was launched by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government," Singh said.

Without giving any time-frame, he said his government is very serious about launching it. He said 44% of the country's cultivable land was bereft of irrigation facilities, affecting a majority of small and marginal farmers across the country.

Emphasizing on having an effective crop insurance policy, Singh said his ministry has decided to bring 'Kisan Aya Bima Yojna' which would take into account average income of farmers in the last 5-7 years while devising a compensation scheme.

If the government launches such a scheme, it will be a much needed improvement over the existing scheme which does not treat an individual farmer as a unit while providing compensation against insurance. The present scheme takes village or group of villages as a unit while deriving at compensation formula and therefore it invariably tends to benefit big and medium farmers.

"The Centre will bear the burden of premium for insurance of average income. Farmers will take interest in agriculture only when their investment is guaranteed," Singh said.

The minister also said the government would soon take a decision on the proposal to fix minimum support price (MSP) of kharif crops. Besides, there is a long-term plan to fix the MSP at 50% more than the cost of production, he added.

Addressing his maiden press conference, he also emphasized on setting up more central agriculture universities in different parts of the country.

Asked what he would do for his home state of Bihar, Singh said, "If India develops, Bihar will also develop."

Source - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/