Uttarakhand sets up expert panel for agriculture development

DEHRADUN: A high-powered expert group has been set up in Uttarakhand for the development of the agriculture sector by reviewing the policies of forest and rural development departments and recommending amendments, if necessary.

To be headed by Chief Minister Harish Rawat, the panel, consisting of distinguished people from the field of agriculture, will also monitor projects already underway in the sector, an official release quoting the Chief Minister said.

This is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent announcement at a programme in Rajasthan about the constitution of expert committees in all states for development of the farming sector, it said.

Apart from strengthening the agriculture sector, the constitution of a committee like this will also help stop migration from the hills of Uttarakhand and evolving a common minimum programme for the sector at the national level, it said.

Uttarakhand is the first state to take steps in that direction by constituting an expert panel for proper management and all-round development of forests and rural areas, it said.