Union Minister Giriraj Singh inspects ICAR piggery at Umiam

A CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: On his visit to the ICAR Research Complex for North Eastern Region at Umiam, Meghalaya on Wednesday, Union Minister of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Giriraj Singh visited the piggery, poultry and dairy farms of the institute to witness the pig breed 'Lumsniang' developed by the institute.

According to an official communique, he was accompanied by Arpit Upadhyay, Deputy Commissioner, Ri Bhoi district and Giri Prasad M, Superintendent of Police, Ri Bhoi district.

In the inaugural session, Dr SK Das, Director in-charge, welcomed the gathering and gave a brief highlight of the institute's achievements and its mandate.

In his speech, Giriraj Singh highlighted the inevitable challenge of food security in the coming years because of the exhaustive population pressure of the country. He reminded the gathering about contribution of Green Revolution in the country, but pointed out that still the country is in dire need of producing more food grains with better yield. A holistic integrated approach is the need of the hour for bringing about any development in an aspirational district like Ri Bhoi.

He called upon the ICAR and the CAU College of Post Graduate Studies in Agricultural Sciences to work in collaboration, keeping in mind the farmers' need first, he said, adding that focus should be on taking the research outputs from the laboratory to the field. The Union Minister also stressed upon the need to popularize Moringa (drumstick) plantation as it has carbon absorption potential if the country is to develop carbon neutral villages.

Singh concluded his address by saying that the country and its villages will be prosperous only when the farmers will prosper, which will happen if they get more economic returns from their harvest and again use their income for more agricultural activities.

The scientists of the institute also had an exhaustive interaction with the Union Minister on Tuesday evening at the CAU- CPGS AS along with the staff of the institute regarding various issues pertaining to agriculture and allied sectors, particularly livestock and fishery.

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