THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY
OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (PROF. K.V. THOMAS)
(a) & (b): Yes, Madam. For addressing the farmers` need and encourage interaction between
researchers and farmers, all the State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) are having Research
Council and Extension Council, both having progressive farmers as representatives. The research
programmes are oriented to meet the needs of farmers and other stake holders and emphasis is
also laid on farmers` education, training and advisory services. The SAUs are operational in
the states of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh,
J&K, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan,
Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal and West Bengal. Besides, a Central Agricultural
University at Imphal covers the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram,
Sikkim and Tripura, and the Central University, Medziphema covers Nagaland.
Each of the 97 institutes under DARE/ICAR, situated across the country, also has a
Research Advisory Committee comprising eminent scientists and two persons representing
agricultural/rural interests, who actively take part in deciding the research agenda of
the institutes.
Besides, the National Research Centre for Agricultural Economics and Policy Research,
New Delhi, established under ICAR, assists in agricultural research policy support keeping in
view the farmers` perspective.
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has established a network of 568
Krishi Vigyan Kendras in rural districts of the country as an innovative institutional model
for assessment, refinement and frontline demonstration of technologies/products and training
of farmers and extension personnel.
(c) & (d): No such proposal is under consideration of the Government at present.
