Lok Sabha Question No. 2640 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-08-02
Subject: Research Institutes for Agricultural Growth
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Gautham Sigamani Pon, Manjulata Mandal, Dhanush M Kumar, Gajanan Chandrakant Kirtikar, Ganesan Selvam, C.N. Annadurai

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH & EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2640

TO BE ANSWERED ON 2 nd  August, 2022

## RESEARCH INSTITUTES FOR AGRICULTURAL GROWTH

2640.  DR. PON GAUTHAM SIGAMANI:

SHRIMATI MANJULATA MANDAL:

SHRI DHANUSH M. KUMAR:

SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR:

SHRI SELVAM G.:

SHRI C.N. ANNADURAI:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE d`f"k vkSj fdlku dY;k.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has failed to develop Research Institutes/organizations for the growth of agriculture sector and if so, the details thereof and the corrective steps taken in this regard;
- (b) the details of projects implemented under the auspices of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in the States of Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra during each of last three years and the current year;
- (c) whether ICAR has enough infrastructure and expertise to meet the demand of the agricultural sector and if so, details thereof;
- (d) the achievements made by ICAR to increase agricultural production in country;
- (e) whether there is a shortage of agricultural scientists in various research institutes and a large number of posts of agricultural scientists are lying vacant for several years in various States including Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra; and
- (f) if so, the steps taken by the Government to fill up these vacant posts?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE d`f"k vkSj fdlku dY;k.k ea=h (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a) to (c): No, Sir. India has one of the largest National Agricultural Research System (NARS) in the world, comprising 102 Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Institutes,  11  Agricultural  Technology  Application  Research  Institutes,  82  All  India Coordinated Projects/ Networks, 4 deemed to be universities, 3 Central Agricultural Universities and 63 State Agricultural/ Veterinary/ Horticultural/ Fishery Universities including Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. The details of the ICAR research institutes in Tamil Nadu and Maharastra are given in the Annexure-I .

The requisite infrastructure and expertise available with ICAR Institutions, SAUs and a network of 731 KVKs ICAR suffice to cater various technological interventions in various  fields  of  agriculture  and  allied  sectors  to  meet  the  demand  of  agricultural sector.

(d): During last three years ICAR has released 946 field crop varieties comprising of 379 of cereals, 146 of oilseeds, 168 of pulses, 55 of forage crops, 158 of fibre crops, 26 of sugarcane and 14 of other crops (potential/minor crops) and 171 varieties of horticultural crops. Developed 25 vaccines and 40 diagnostics for important animal diseases  for  diagnosis  and  their  containment.  Breeding  and  seed  production technologies were developed for 161 food and ornamental fishes, 48 indigenous fish feed and 70 improved aquaculture systems and developed 90 resource specific gears & fuel-efficient fishing vessels for efficient fishing. Approximately 168 technologies/ machines  were  also  developed  during  recent  years.  These  improved  varieties/ technologies/ machines/ vaccines etc.  are aimed at for augmenting the production and productivity in Agriculture in country. The successful implementation of various Schemes/  initiatives relating to agriculture coupled with extension of above technologies and their extension through KVKs and other extension machineries has resulted in increase in production and productivity of field and horticultural crops. The production of pulses increased from 19.26 m tonnes (2013-14) to 27.75 m tonnes in 2021-22, horticultural production from 280.70 m tonnes (2013-14) to 341.63 m tonnes (2021-22) and food grains from 265.05 m. tonnes (2013-14) to 314.51 m tonnes (202122).

(e) & (f): Recruitment to scientific positions is a continuous process and vacancies are filled  up  through  established  procedure  by  the  Agricultural  Scientists  Recruitment Board (ASRB) subject to the availability of qualified candidates.  Presently, 144 posts of scientists are vacant in Maharashtra whereas it is 22 in Tamil Nadu. The vacancy position is monitored regularly within ICAR and with ASRB for timely selection and deployment of human resources.

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## ANNEXURE-I

## [Part (a) to (c) of Unstarred Question no. 2640 answered on 02 nd  August, 2022]

## ICAR Research Institutes in Tamil Nadu and Maharastra

## Tamil Nadu

| Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore                |
|---------------------------------------------------------|
| National Research Centre on Banana, Trichi              |
| Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture, Chennai |

## Maharashtra

| National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Nagpur       |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
| National Institute of Abiotic Stress Management, Baramati          |
| Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology, Mumbai        |
| Central Institute of Cotton Research, Nagpur                       |
| Central Citrus Research Institute, Nagpur                          |
| NRC on Pomegranate, Solapur                                        |
| NRC for Grapes, Pune                                               |
| Indian Institute of Onion and Garlic Research , Rajgurunagar, Pune |
| Directorate of Floriculture, Pune                                  |
| Central Institute on Fisheries Education, Mumbai                   |