Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit
Shah committed to making Bharat self-reliant in the production of improved and
traditional seeds.
Addressing the national symposium on Production of
Improved and Traditional Seeds through Cooperative Sector, Shah said there is a
high possibility that Bharat will be self-reliant in the production of improved
and traditional seeds and that the cooperative sector would play a major role
in achieving the goal.
Shah said, “Today, I want to tell you with great
confidence that in the coming days, Bharatiya Beej Sahakari Samiti Limited (BBSSL)
is going to make a huge contribution in making Bharat’s fields of seed
conservation, seed promotion, and seed research perfect.”
Earlier, the Home Minister formally unveiled the logo,
website, and brochure of the BBSSL and distributed membership certificates to
the members of the committee.
The Home Minister assured that Bharat will work
simultaneously on the production, processing, branding, labelling, and export
of seeds through the cooperative sector and it would be with a world-class
system.
“The world market is waiting for us and we are going
to set proper targets in this direction,” he said.
The Union Home Minister said he has a firm belief in
BBSSL that the committee will help in assistance to cooperatives across the
country in demand-based seed production, development of infrastructure for
storage, processing, and packaging of seeds, logistics support, quality enhancement
and standardization, requisite certification and marketing of the seeds
produced.
Besides, Shah assured the farmers connected with the
committees in this sector will get direct benefit from the profit earned and it
will be directly credited to their bank accounts.
Noting that farmers in Bharat are not availing of
scientifically prepared seeds at present time, Shah said BBSSL is going to make
a huge contribution in making Bharat perfect in the conservation, promotion,
and research of seeds in the coming days.
“There is a great need to conserve the improved and
traditional seeds of Bharat and give them to our farmers so that the production
of healthy fruits and vegetables and grains continues.
This work will be done within our cooperative society
now,” said Shah while speaking at the symposium.
Organized by the BBSSL, the symposium began with a
presentation by officials of the Ministry of Cooperation on 54 new initiatives
taken in the last 27 months to strengthen the cooperative sector.
Three major cooperative societies of the country –
Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Limited (IFFCO), Krishak Bharati
Cooperative Limited (KRIBHCO) and National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing
Federation of India (NAFED) and two major statutory bodies of the Government of
India – National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) ) and National Cooperative
Development Corporation (NCDC) have jointly promoted the BBSSL.
The BBSSL came into existence following the thrust
given by Shah for the need to set up a national-level multi-state cooperative
society to act as an umbrella organization for advanced and traditional seed
research and production along with processing and marketing through the
cooperative sector.
As per the Ministry of Cooperation, quality seed
production and distribution through BBSSL will increase agricultural production
in the country fulfilling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Sahakar Se
Samriddhi”.
“This will create more employment opportunities in the
agriculture and cooperative sector, reduce dependence on imported seeds, boost
the rural economy, promote ‘Make in India’ and pave the way for ‘Aatmanirbhar
Bharat’,” said the Ministry.
ANI
