A roadmap aimed at augmenting agricultural produce in Bihar is being prepared to make the state a 'foodgrain surplus state' in the near future, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi said on Tuesday.
Modi, who also holds the finance portfolio told the assembly that the state government had decided to observe the 2008-09 as 'agriculture year'.
The state government, he said, would invest over Rs 4707 crore till 2012 to make farmers self-reliant.
With agriculture on top of the state government's agenda, it had earmarked Rs 191.34 crore during the current fiscal against Rs 20.43 crore sanctioned in 2005-06 when the state was under RJD rule, Modi said.
Modi said the state government had also decided to set up 'seed villages' across the state to provide quality seeds and fertilsers to small and marginal farmers.
He also said the state government had lowered transport tax and brought it on par with adjoining states including West Bengal, which witnessed rise in sale of chassis of trucks and buses in the state.
Source:The Hindu,05-03-08
