Food Production Deserves High Priority in Our National Policy Formulation, Says President

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the National Conference on ‘Doubling India’s Food Production In The Next Five Years’ at a function at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi today (February 1, 2013).

Speaking on the occasion, the President said food deprivation cannot be allowed to continue and that steps are required to secure for the poor and the needy greater access to food. He added that in the context of pursuing inclusivity in economic growth, it is of primary essence to achieve the inter-dependent objectives of poverty alleviation, mitigation of food inadequacy, creation of rural employment and growth in rural incomes. Substantial expansion in the country’s food production will greatly facilitate in meeting these objectives. He stated that the subject matter of the Conference was therefore apt and he applauded the efforts of the organizers to bring an issue of topical importance to the forefront of national policy discourse.

The President said a country’s development is dependent on the productivity of its people. Unless the health of our population is secured, we may not be able to realize the progress that we have envisaged for our nation, he said. With a growing population, the challenge before us is not only to ensure that the indicators of food security do not deteriorate, but instead show improvement. He emphasized that food production therefore deserves high priority in our national policy formulation.

Among the dignitaries present on the occasion were Union Minister of Agriculture and Food Processing Industries, Shri Sharad Pawar, Union Minister for Water Resources, Shri Harish Rawat, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Shri Srikant Kumar Jena, Shri Rajju Shroff, Chairman, Crop Care Federation of India and Shri Nadir Godrej, Chairman, Godrej Agrovet Ltd.

This release issued at 1650 hrs