Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Laid Foundation Stone of ATARI

19^th August, 2015, Patna

Shri Radha Mohan Singh, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare inaugurated and laid foundation stone of Agricultural Technology Application and Research Institute (ATARI), Patna.

In his address, he said, till today a total of eight Agricultural Technology Application and Research Institutes, erstwhile Zonal Project Directorates are functioning in the country. This number is not sufficient for effective monitoring of 642 KVKs; hence, Government has taken a decision to increase their number to eleven. In this line, a new ATARI is being inaugurated here today which will have 62 KVKs (38 KVKs in State of Bihar and rest 24 in the State of Jharkhand) under its monitoring. Very soon additional six KVKs will start functioning in the identified larger districts of Bihar. Then this ATARI will have 68 KVKs under its supervision and monitoring. These KVKs will also be the part of oilseed and pulses programmes to alleviate the deficiencies of these commodities in the region.

Earlier, Dr. Ashok Kumar Singh, DDG, Agriculture Extension, welcomed the Minister and other dignitaries and briefed on functioning of ATARI.

Dr. R.K. Mittal, Vice Chancellor RAU, Pusa (Bihar) and dignitaries from different Government organisations were present on the occassion. Large number of scientists and officers from ICAR Institutes, KVKs and farmers also participated in the inaugural ceremony.

Dr. A.K. Singh, Director, ATARI, Kolkata proposed vote of thanks.