NEW DELHI: The government today said it will release early maturing arhar dal variety in January for commercial cultivation that will help achieve self-sufficiency in pulses over the next three years.
Pulses production in India is lower than the demand of 23-24 million tonne (MT). The output had fallen in the last two years due to the drought which sent the prices through the roof, forcing the government to take several measures to check inflation in pulses.
"We will put this new arhar variety (Pusa 16) for commercial use soon. Once we put for commercial use, certainly it will have great impact," Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told reporters after visiting the experimental plot of new arhar variety in the IARI complex here.
He hoped that the new arhar variety will bring benefit to the whole country.
Stating that there has been special concern about pulses in the government in last two years, Jaitley said: "The reason being that it is the main protein in our diet. We are not only
the largest producer but also the biggest consumer and importer. So, there is shortage here."
Addressing the National Unity Day organised by IARI to mark birth anniversary of Sardar Patel, he said: "It has been the endaveour of our government in the last two years to financially incentives pulses cultivation in a manner that production increases and it is evident this year."
He said Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian has been suggesting that the government incentivise pulses cultivation by higher MSP and bonus.
"Even Agriculture Ministry was pressing for this. We see the result of this and we have seen increase in production. It is evident this year as well," Jaitley said.
On Pusa 16, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said, "This new variety will be released for commercial cultivation in January and will be available for sowing in the Kharif 2017 season. This will help make the country self-sufficiency in next three years."
The new variety gets matured in 4 months instead of 6-9 months in case of existing pulses variety. It is a semi-dwarf variety suitable for combine harvesting. Its yield levels are in the range of 15-20 quintals per hectare, which is same as the existing varieties.
Country's pulses output is estimated to increase to 20 MT in 2016-17 crop year (July-June) on account of good monsoon after two drought years. But the production is still lower than domestic demand of 23-24 MT.
Pulses production fell to 16.47 MT in 2015-16 crop year from 17.15 MT in the previous year.
Recalling Sardar Patel's contribution, Jaitley said many people thought he was a farmer because he was involved in a peasant movement in Gujarat but, in fact, he was a practising lawyer.
Patel contributed in a big way during the freedom struggle post independence; he was instrumental in consolidation of 550 princely states along with centrally governed provinces despite so many challenges, he said.
Accession of each states had unique challenges and he tried all kind of methods including creating mass revolt against rulers, he said, citing problems faced in accession of some states including Junagarh, Hyderabad, Bhopal.
"Sardar was not given the responsibility of Jammu and Kashmir merged with India. Sardar's capability in respect of other leaders can be defined by this example," he said.
"India owes its present geography to the Sardar Patel," he said, adding that all was done in 2.5 years after Independence before his death.