New Delhi : A high-level Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) meeting of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research was held under the chairmanship of Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan at 12, Safdarjung Road, New Delhi.
The meeting reviewed in detail the ongoing functioning, programmes and initiatives of ICAR across the country. ICAR Director General and Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Dr M L Jat briefed the Minister on the Council’s current activities and its future roadmap aimed at delivering greater benefits to the farming community.
Shri Chouhan underlined that agriculture remains the primary source of livelihood for a large population and forms a key pillar of the Indian economy. He stressed that all efforts must be directed towards making agriculture more productive, cost-effective and profitable for farmers.
The Minister also called for the large-scale promotion of integrated farming systems, stating that farmers should be encouraged to adopt diversified and practical models that can enhance income levels while supporting sustainable agriculture.
He further said that scientific agriculture is essential in the context of rapidly changing climate conditions, which are increasingly visible in India and across the world. He directed officials to work in coordination with states to develop state-specific agricultural roadmaps aligned with agro-climatic conditions.
Officials informed the Minister that work on preparing such roadmaps is already underway in states including Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Rajasthan, and that similar frameworks will be developed for other states as well.
Expressing satisfaction with ICAR’s action plan, Shri Chouhan urged officials to accelerate implementation and work with greater efficiency so that targets can be achieved ahead of schedule.
Senior officials of ICAR and the Ministry of Agriculture were also present during the meeting.