GANGTOK, Aug 3: The Indian Council for Agriculture Research, a Central government unit, would be spending about Rs 230 million for a mega agriculture project to boost crop productivity in the North-Eastern states including Sikkim. “The project is called the National Agriculture Research Project,” Dr SB Nachand, one of the directors of ICAR said over telephone from Barapani in Shillong. “This is a Central project and we have no control over it,” said Mr R Telang, secretary of the state agriculture department. “But we would be providing them with technical support,” he added. According to the ICAR official, the scheme would be implemented in five years’ time and involve an expenditure of Rs 22.41 million. “The Centre has also sanctioned an additional amount of Rs 2.38 billion for the Imphal-based Central Agriculture University for research work,” the director, said. Not all state government officials are aware of the project involving the North-east including Sikkim.“Since the meeting was held in Shillong, I am not aware of the project but when it comes to agriculture and horticulture, Sikkim is naturally interested in the two aspects and would therefore take active interest,” said Mr Somnath Poudyal, Sikkim minister for agriculture and horticulture. He added that Sikkim and its farmers would benefit out of the project.
