BHUBANESWAR: Governor Prof Ganeshi Lal urged MSMEs to channelise their energy to revert the ill impact caused by pollution and work dedicatedly for the preservation of air, water and land. Speaking at the international conference on MSME AGRO organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Odisha State Council here on Wednesday, Prof Lal said industries have to go back to the basics and become self-reliant.
Vice-chancellor of OUAT Dr Pawan Kumar Agrawal said, “Odisha is a state with 60 lakh hectares of farmland of which paddy is cultivated in 36 lakh hectares. We are 20-30 per cent surplus in rice production. The agro-climatic conditions are the advantages for us to grow a variety of crops. There are huge opportunities for crop diversification and the focus should be on the processing of vegetables and fruits.”Co-chairman of ICC Odisha State Council MK Gupta said public investments need to be stepped up substantially for accelerating the agricultural growth of the State.