Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee had announced his intention of seeing through a ?second green revolution? in the eastern states of the country, primarily aimed at boosting the cultivation of pulses in India, in his budget speech this year. Mukherjee will meet eastern region chief ministers on Saturday in order to take stock of just what this second green revolution would entail.
The meeting will be held in Kolkata, on Saturday, and sources confirm that chief ministers will be asked first and foremost about the resources which they can pledge to the effort.
?According to the budget speech, 60,000 oilseeds and pulses villages are to be identified for this green revolution. Land for exclusive cultivation of these crops is something which the state governments will have to make available,? said a top source.
A total of Rs 700 crore has been pledged in the Union Budget for this endeavour, Rs 400 crore of this for green revolution in particular, and Rs 300 for soil enhancement measures in rain fed areas, where these oilseeds and pulses villages are to be identified.
?The amount is of course minimal but a lot will depend on state governments which is why this meeting is important,? said the source.
?India has for long been a pulses importer and the price of pulses in India have become prohibitive in the last few years. The government had toyed with the idea of leasing land in Africa for growing pulses in the past but has now decided to encourage indigenous production,? said the source.