Patna, February 7: Bihar’s Agriculture Minister Ramkripal Yadav has urged the central government for special assistance to make the state self-sufficient in pulse production. He emphasized the need for a dedicated pulse package tailored to Bihar’s geographical, climatic, and agricultural conditions under the National Pulses Self-Reliance Mission.
The minister made these remarks while participating in a discussion on the country’s pulse policy and farmer-centric agricultural strategies at the Food Pulses Research Center in Amala, Sehore district of Madhya Pradesh. Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was also present at the event.
Minister Ramkripal highlighted that Arhar, Chana, Masoor, Urad, and Moong should be identified as the state’s special pulse crops. He called for the establishment of a national-level seed hub to strengthen pulse production in Bihar, along with providing high-yield, short-duration, and disease-resistant seeds to farmers with 100% central assistance.
He noted that promoting a cluster-based farming model is essential for achieving better results in pulse production. Under the Pulses Self-Reliance Mission, block and cluster-based programs should be implemented, offering an integrated package of irrigation, seeds, agricultural tools, and training for each cluster. The minister advocated for 90% central grants for drip and sprinkler irrigation in pulse-growing areas, along with linking farm ponds and water conservation initiatives to the mission in rain-fed regions.
The minister stressed the need for additional central support for specialized agricultural machinery for sowing, harvesting, and threshing pulses. He also suggested connecting custom hiring centers to the pulses mission and establishing an effective and assured procurement system for pulse crops at Minimum Support Price (MSP). He called for the establishment of permanent procurement centers through Nafed and FCI.
He pointed out that in the year 2024-25, pulse cultivation in the state covered 448,000 hectares, yielding 393,000 metric tons. Despite this, external dependence for meeting demand remains a concern.