Budget 2013: Farmers in eastern India cheer as FM allocates Rs 1,000 crore

KOLKATA: Union finance minister P Chidmbaram has allocated Rs 1,000 crore in 2013-14 for 'Bringing Green Revolution in Eastern India' (BGREI) bringing much cheer to the farmers in eastern India. Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal and eastern parts of Uttar Pradesh are the seven states which are within the ambit of the BGREI scheme.

While presenting the budget Chdiambaram expressed that BGREI has been successful in states like West Bengal, Assam, Bihar and Chhatisgarh.The rice output in eastern Indian states have increased by almost 11% than the normal output in 2011-12. Out of the total rice production of 104.32 million tonnes, the seven eastern Indian states contributed more than half at 55.34 million tonnes.

The BGREI programme is aimed at reducing the pressure of grain production on northern states of Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh of India. In the 2011-12, Budget, government launched the ambitious BGREI programme with an initial budget of Rs 400 crore. The allocation was raised to Rs 1,000 in the subsequent budget of 2012-13.

The maximum impact has been in Bihar, where rice production in 2011-12 is almost 70% more than the normal at 7.20 million tons. In West Bengal, rice production in 2011-12 is almost 45% more than normal at 14.85 million tons..

A senior official from agri department of West Bengal, teh largest producer of rice in Idnia, said: "BGREI has improved the performance of rice production in the state. It is a welcome move that government has decided to continue with BGREI."