Cheers to Bihar!

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), for the first time in its history, would hold its national meet in the state, where more than 80 per cent of the population depends on agriculture.

To make the second Green Revolution a reality with focus on Bihar, the ICAR eastern India branch office would be set up in Bihar. The first Green Revolution took place in the 1960s and 1970s in Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh. The country attained food self-sufficiency in wheat crop owing to its success.

ICAR, established in 1929, would celebrate its 87th foundation day in Patna starting on Saturday. The conference, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi would inaugurate at SK Memorial Hall, would see participation of 2,500 agriculture scientists and in the two-day conference, they would discuss various agricultural innovations and at the same time, underline the importance of newer techniques in farming in the light of constant reduction in farmland area.

On the eve of the ICAR function in Patna, Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh said: "Prime Minister Narendra Modi on many occasions had underlined the need of launching a second Green Revolution in eastern India. The ICAR conference and its upcoming branch office are a step in starting the revolution with Bihar as the epicentre."

Focusing on the agriculture potential of the state, Modi would be presented with a memento of Golghar, the ancient granary built in 1786 by Captain John Garstin to store grains for the British Army, at the Icar function.

The choice of selection of Golghar as a memento drew some murmur as the granary, owing to structural defects, could never be put into use. Its gate opens inwards, so one cannot store grains in it.

The initiation of agricultural research in the country started with the establishment of the first agricultural research institute in 1905 at Pusa in Samastipur district of Bihar. But after the 1934 earthquake, the institute was shifted to New Delhi.

Minister Singh said the present government was serious about the agriculture growth in the state. According the status of central university to Rajendra Agriculture University at Pusa, Samastipur, in January this year was a step in that direction.

At the ICAR function, 82 awards would be conferred to scientists for contribution made in agricultural research education, innovation and reporting.