MYSURU: Union Minister of state for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shobha Karandlaje said the Union government will spend Rs 1 lakh crore to set up laboratories in all the districts of the country and improve agriculture infrastructure. She said the laboratories will help in examining the quality of seeds and food products as people from across the state depend on labs in Mysuru and Bengaluru.
Inaugurating a seminar on importance of millets at Sri Shivarathri Shivayogi Jatra festival here on Saturday, Shobha said the government will use agriculture mission funds to set up labs as the Central government has set aside `1.32 lakh crore in the budget besides separate funds to improve basic infrastructure like building cold storages, markets and warehouses across the country.
She said progressive farmers and women self-help groups under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana will fund them to buy machinery for value addition. She reminded the gathering that the world is celebrating the International Year of Millets when India has assumed the G-20 presidency and is organising more than 200 events.
The country is growing 345 million tonne of fruits, vegetables and grains and it should focus on marketing the surplus produce in the rest of the world.