ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Thursday , August 16, 2007 at 0356 hrs IST
New Delhi, Aug 15 Promising to continue with its agenda of improving farm productivity, the government on Wednesday pledged Rs 25,000 crore (Rs 250,000 million) to transform rural India. Speaking on the nation’s 60th Independence Day, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said, “We will soon launch a special programme to invest Rs 25,000 crore (Rs 250,000 million) in agriculture to enhance the livelihood of our farmers and increase food production.”
While the programme would focus on increasing food grain productivity all over the country, its main target would be the regions untouched by the first green revolution and drought-prone areas. “Our growing economy and population need more foodgrain,” he pointed out.
