India’s Ist Fortnightly Newspaper For Beverages, Food & Allied Industries
Vol. 6, Issue 10, March (I) 2014, Rs. 20/-
www.agronfoodprocessing.com
7
he the Krishi Karman Award for 2012-13 has been bagged by Odisha for being the best performing state in overall foodgrains production among Category-II States in India. The award consists of a trophy, a citation and a cash amount of Rs 2 crore. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik received the award on behalf of the state by President Pranab Mukherjee during the
inaugural ceremony of the World Agroforestry Congress-2014 at Vigyan Bhavan. Odisha has won the award for its contribution to the growth of agriculture in the state and for achieving a record foodgrains production of 11.4 million tonnes during 2012-13. Priority accorded by the state to agriculture through providing enhanced support for farm mechanisation, soil health management, assured irrigation,
fertilizer use, organic and integrated farming and extension of agricultural services has resulted in the record foodgrains production in 2012-13, a statement released by the state government said. The President also presented ‘Agriculture Ministers’ Krishi Karman Award for Progressive Farmers’ to two Odia farmers, Pradip Kumar Panda and Khitisuta Mishra, for their contribution as progressive and innovative
Parliament panel raises questions over govt decision to set up NIFTEM 7here was no “stronger case� for setting up a new institute when the Institute of Crop Processing Technology under the ministry was already conducting courses on food technology, the panel said in a report. Besides, the committee on agriculture has said that the National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management has seen cost escalation and time over-runs. “In the committee’s view, the objective of setting up of the NIFTEM could have easily been achieved at fraction of the cost of NIFTEM and within shortest time, by suitable upgradation of the IICPT,� said the report, tabled in Parliament. NIFTEM was approved in August 2006 with an estimated cost of Rs 245 crore and completion in 2009-10. But, the cost of project and completion time both have been doubled. “The cost of project shot up from Rs 245 crore to Rs 480 crore and the project which was originally anticipated to be completed in 2009-10 is now expected to
be completed by only June 2014,â€? it said. The report has also revealed the proposal to set up NIFTEM was approved by the Expenditure Finance Committee despite serious reservations by the Department of Expenditure, Planning Commission, Ministry of Health and Human Resource Development. All these departments and ministries expressed their reservations on the grounds of duplication of functions, economic un-viability, longer lead time, lack of clarity regarding courses and GLIÂżFXOW\ LQ DWWUDFWLQJ ZRUOG FODVV IDFXOW\ “Besides the form of organisation of the institute was misconceived. The knowledge sharing partner disassociated itself midway. The committee do not expect such amateurish handling of a project relating to an institute which was projected to be a global centre of excellence,â€? the report said. Committee has also suggested that the institute should emulate IITs to attract best faculty as out of the total 45 posts for IDFXOW\ RQO\ KDYH EHHQ ÂżOOHG XS
farmers. These awards in addition to Prashashti Patras carry a cash amount of Rs 1 lakh each. Another young female student from Odisha, Nisitha Pattnaik, was FRQIHUUHG WKH ÂżUVW SUL]H LQ SDLQWLQJ on agroforestry by the President during the ceremony. The President lauded the efforts made by Odisha and some other states including Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Punjab IRU WKHLU VLJQLÂżFDQW FRQWULEXWLRQ WR the food basket of India.
Union Minister for Agriculture and Food Processing Industries, Sharad Pawar, Union Minister for Environment & Forests and Petroleum & Natural Gas, M. Veerappa Moily and Odisha’s Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries & Animal Resources Development and Housing & Urban Development, Debi Prasad Mishra were also present at the awards ceremony.