Asia’s biggest pulses research centre to be established in Madhya Pradesh
Bhopal: World-famous International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Area (ICARDA) will establish Asia’s biggest pulses crops research and technology dissemination centre in Madhya Pradesh. The institution has preferred India over China for establishment of this centre. The state government has made available 71 hectare land for this useful institution at Amlaha in Sehore district. ICARDA Lebanon’s Director General Dr. Mohammad Sohu met Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan here today and expressed gratitude for cooperation being extended to the institution.
Chief Minister Shri Chouhan said that Madhya Pradesh is the biggest pulses producer state in the country. Pulses are still being imported in the country. A high-level institution is necessary for making country self-reliant in pulses production. Welcoming ICARDA in Madhya Pradesh, he said that the centre will play an important role in improvement of pulses crops and making new researches in the field of dry farming and technology dissemination. Shri Chouhan said that Madhya Pradesh is fast growing in agriculture sector. This year agriculture growth has been 24.99 percent. It is also a pioneer state in wheat production. ICARDA will also be a desired partner in increasing pulses production in Madhya Pradesh.
ICARDA Director General Shri Sohu informed that this is Lebanon-based non-profit international institution. Decision to establish its research centre in Madhya Pradesh has been taken in view of presence of progressive farmers and agriculture college near the site.
Additional Chief Secretary Agriculture Shri M.M. Upadhyay, Principal Secretary Agriculture Shri Rajesh Rajora, Secretary to CM Shri Vivek Agrawal, Deputy Director General ICARDA Dr. Komail Shideed, Pro-Vice Chancellor of Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia Agriculture University, Gwalior Dr. A.K. Singh, Director Pulses Development Directorate Dr. R.K. Tiwari, ICARDA’s South-Asia Coordinator Dr. A. Sarkar, Assistant Director General RCAR Dr. B.B. Singh and Dean Shri V.S. Gautam were present on the occasion.
