Chouhan chairs 96th ICAR AGM, stresses centre-state coordination and demand-driven research

New Delhi, Jul 7: Union Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday chaired the 96th Annual General Meeting of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in New Delhi, with participation from over 18 Union and State ministers.

The meeting reviewed ICAR’s latest achievements, released four publications, and approved the Annual Report for 2024–25.

Chouhan emphasised the importance of Centre-State collaboration in agriculture, calling for demand-driven, state-specific research and the phasing out of obsolete schemes.

He proposed the establishment of Crop Medicine Centres, similar to Jan Aushadhi Kendras, and urged strict regulation of seed and fertiliser quality. The Minister highlighted India’s rise in food grain production under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and reiterated the country’s ambition to become the world’s food basket. He also announced upcoming crop-specific meetings and a national Rabi Conference, stressing sustainable farming as key to building a developed India.