Swaminathan assures help to boost agriculture output in T, AP

Hyderabad: Indian geneticist and renowned scientist who is known for his leading role in India's "Green Revolution, MS Swaminathan on Monday called on the Chief Ministers of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

During his meetings with Naidu and KCR, Swaminathan is learnt to have offered his services to formulate the agricultural policies of both the states to ensure that the farmers are not financially burdened and at same time to increase the agricultural production.

Swaminathan at first called on AP Chief Minister Naidu at Lake View Guest house here on Monday evening. AP Agriculture Minister P Pulla Rao and State government's adviser (communications) Parakala Prabhakar were also present at the meeting which lasted for over half-an-hour.

According to sources, during his interaction with the Naidu several issues pertaining to agriculture, agriculture education and improvement of livestock and fisheries, etc were discussed.

Swaminathan is learnt to have promised Naidu that he would cooperate with the AP government in transforming the soon-to-be established agricultural university in Seemandhra into a no.1 university in the country. It may be mentioned that Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, during presentation of Union Budget in Parliament recently, had assured Centre's help to AP in setting up the agricultural university.

According to sources, Swaminathan also promised the AP Chief Minister that MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) located at Chennai, which is headed by him, would extend all possible help to the government in introducing new forms of agricultural practices in AP.

When the Chief Minister sought advices of Swaminathan on providing food security to the people in the State, the scientist advised Naidu to concentrate on giving nutritional dimension to the family farming. Swaminathan also came forward to offer his services to the AP government in soil amelioration. The aspect is being highlighted following the proclamation of 2015 as the international year of soil. He also gave a number of suggestions for making farming profitable and to attract youth towards agriculture. Swaminathan invited Naidu to attend a conference of young agriculture scientists to be held at Guntur soon.

Later, he met Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. According to sources, KCR requested Swaminathan to help the Telangana government in transforming the new State into a "seed bowl" of the country.

KCR told Swaminathan that Telangana has rich mix of land for seed production and that his government was making all out efforts to turn the State into seed bowl of the country. "The interaction between KCR and Swaminathan primarily focused on developing unique agricultural methods for drought regions and promoting alternate plantations to tackle the deficit rainfall," said source.

Further, KCR invited Swaminathan to deliver a speech at a seminar on agriculture which the government was planning to conduct soon.