Patna, June 14: Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh today accused the Nitish Kumar government of failing to spend central funds and not paying attention towards developing integrated market systems for better remuneration to farmers.
"Bihar's agriculture growth rate has fallen much over the past few years in comparison to 13-15 per cent the growth observed during the seven years while the state had NDA government. The state rubbed shoulders with Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat," Radha Mohan said.
As per gross state domestic product in agriculture and allied sector data made public by the central government, Bihar's agriculture growth rate was 16.7 per cent in 2010-11, 12.51 per cent in 2011-12 and 8.75 per cent in 2012-13 but witnessed a sharp decline to -10.06 per cent in 2013-14.
However, Radha Mohan expressed happiness over recovery in the country's agriculture growth rate and said that though it had dropped to -1.2 per cent in the third quarter of financial year 2015-16, it bounced back to 2.3 per cent in the fourth or last quarter. "It has been due to hard work of farmers and the steps taken by the central government over the last two years, which have now started giving results," he added.
The Union minister added that though the Narendra Modi government had kept Bihar at the centre of the efforts to bring a "second green revolution" in the country with focus on the eastern part of the country, the state has been lax in developing integrated market systems to help farmers get better price for their produce.
Interacting with media persons across the country via video-conferencing from New Delhi, Radha Mohan said the central government is trying to develop an integrated market system or "national agriculture market" for buying selling of agricultural produce in the country, where a farmer can get to know the current rate of his produce, the price being offered by buyers, compare it with other parts of the country and take appropriate decision accordingly.
"Altogether, 17 states have sent detailed proposals passed the laws needed integrated market system for agriculture. Proposals by other states are in the pipeline but Bihar is nowhere. It is yet to send a proposal to the Centre," he added.
The Union minister revealed that online agriculture trading platform was coming up fast in the country and 27,000 farmers have already joined it.
Hitting out further at the Nitish government, Radha Mohan, who hails from East Champaran district and won the Lok Sabha elections from there, said it had been unable to spend funds provided to implement and strengthen National Food Security Mission, which was launched in 2007 to strengthen production and productivity of wheat, rice and pulses.
The Union minister reeled off data as to how Bihar was unable to spend Rs 41 crore out of total Rs 93 crore provided under the mission during 2015-16. Earlier, the state had been unable to spend Rs 37 core and Rs 21 crore, during the financial years 2014-15 and 2013-14, respectively. "The latest figures for the first two months of the current fiscal 2016-17 show that Bihar is still lagging behind in expenditure on the mission front," he said.
