Patna, April 3: The state cabinet today approved the ambitious agriculture roadmap for ushering in a “rainbow revolution” in the state in the next five years. It also put its seal on some road projects.

A target has been set to almost double the foodgrain production in the next five years with a special thrust on agriculture education right from the high school-level. The agriculture cabinet had given its final approval to the roadmap on March 16 after incorporating the views of farmers and members of the state legislatures.

The roadmap is being implemented from April 1 this year. Total Rs 1,49,859 crore would be spent on different sectors over a period of five years, a top government functionary said.

The state government came up with the idea of holding separate cabinet meeting for the agriculture sector to have in place a comprehensive approach for the development of the agriculture sector with the allied departments playing the supportive role for achieving the desired results. Total 17 government departments constitute the agriculture cabinet.

The first roadmap for agriculture sector was chalked out in 2008 and its period came to an end in March 2012. Some of the major achievements made after formulation of the first roadmap are implementation of accelerated seed extension programme, increase in plan expenditure for agriculture sector, promotion of horticulture and organic farming.

The cabinet also approved the construction of 107-km-long Bakhtiyarpur-Rajauli section of National Highway 31 in public-private partnership (PPP) mode at an estimated cost of Rs 1,250 crore. The stretch would be completed by August 15, 2014. The road construction department sources said major players of road sectors are likely to show interest in the project.

The cabinet also gave its nod to the construction of the Sattarghat-Kesaria stretch of state highway under PPP mode, sources said.

Total 10 decisions were taken in the cabinet meeting.