President Pranab Mukherjee honoured 18 States with Krishi Karman Awards

President Pranab Mukherjee on 15 January 2013 presented Krishi Karman awards for 2011-12 to eight states, which includes the state of UP and Bihar for improving the food grain production and commendation awards to 10 other states.

Highlights of the Awards

• The states of Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Manipur and Nagaland were awarded with amount of 2 crore rupees each, for their special contribution in increasing foodgrain production.

• In an individual crop category Bihar, Haryana, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh were awarded 1 crore rupees each, for increasing output.

• Punjab, Assam, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Tripura, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Himachal Pradesh were presented with Commendation awards.

• For the first time one female farmer and one male farmer from the eight awards winning states were awarded for their outstanding performance in enhancing foodgrain production.

• Awards were received by Chief Ministers on behalf of their states, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan and Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda received awards on behalf of their states.

The awarded were based on their record production and productivity levels in total foodgrains or in any of the individual crops but scored relatively lesser marks on other criteria compared to the top awardees.

As per President Pranab Mukherjee , India can achieve the targeted 4 per cent growth in farm sector during the 12th Plan period with help of better seeds, improved water management and balanced use of fertilisers and pesticides, among others.

President also gave award to Shanti Devi of Naran village in Nokha block of Rohtas district for creating a record in production of a certain variety of paddy named MPU-7029. As per deputy director of agriculture department A C Jain, scientists had predicted production of 55 quintal per hectare of MTU-7029. But astonishingly Shanti Devi had grown 95 quintal per hectare paddy of this variety through SRI method in financial year 2011-12.

About Krishi Karman Award

Krishi Karman awards were instituted in 2010-11. It recognise the effort made by states in foodgrain production. The awards are given to best performing states in two broad categories, one for the total foodgrain production and the other for the individual foodgrain crops of rice, wheat, pulses and coarse cereals.

States in foodgrains category are divided into three categories based on total foodgrain production capacity of the state.