Parkash Singh Badal for 5-year agricultural plan for crop diversification

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today favoured a comprehensive 5-year agricultural plan for crop diversification in the state.

Presiding over a meeting here, he said diversification of agriculture was need of the hour.

This long-term plan should focus on strategic approach and meticulous planning to achieve the goal of diversification of agriculture, the Chief Minister said.

He expressed concern over depletion of water table and consequent manifold increase in power consumption in the agriculture sector in the state, an official release said.

The Chief Minister asked departments of agriculture and soil conservation to jointly prepare schemes or programmes on the basis of less water-consuming crops with assured marketing support.

This step would check the depleting sub-soil water besides ensuring handsome gain for produce of newly-adopted crops, he said.