The Hindu : National : Mufti thanks NGOs, Centre for helping Jammu & Kashmir

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Aug 08, 2004

National

National

Mufti thanks NGOs, Centre for helping Jammu & Kashmir

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, AUG. 7. The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, today said various agencies both in the Government and non-Government sectors from different parts of the country had come to the rescue of the people of his State, which remained the "core of Indian nationalism."

Releasing the annual report of the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) and delivering the foundation day address here, he said that during the tumultuous period, when no development activity could be carried out, agriculturists, horticulturists and craftsmen alone had helped the State to keep the flag flying.

Referring to help from other parts of the country, he said some of the orphanages in his State were run by non-governmental organisations belonging to other States and the Army. They had taken care of education and accommodation of the children, he added.

Mr. Sayeed said `Amul' had assisted in the setting up of two milk plants — one in Srinagar and the other in Jammu.

Bio-tech park

Referring to the national consultation on the `Agenda 2007: A food-secure and poverty-free Jammu and Kashmir' held in September last year, he appealed to the MSSRF to expedite steps to establish a bio-tech park in the State as the Centre had given its nod for the project. He said his Government would extend all necessary assistance.

The Centre had already offered a technology mission package for horticulture promotion in the State. The MSSRF could also play a role in diversification of agriculture by imparting knowledge in the application of science and technology to suit the varied agro-climatic zones, he said.

The Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister, Mangath Ram Sharma, commended the efforts of the State Government and the Centre in promoting the interest of the farming community.

Orissa's plea

The Orissa Minister for Science and Technology and Water Resources, Rabi Narayan Nanda, appealed to the MSSRF to help the State in setting up a research centre for medicinal plants to benefit the tribal people.

The Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu , N. Ram, said the MSSRF being a world class institution had taken up many programmes courageously to ensure food security in rural and urban areas, make every village a knowledge centre and train one million academics by 2010 through the National Virtual Academy. He also commended the efforts made by the Foundation to interact with the media and the public.

The MSSRF chairman, M.S. Swaminathan, said though the country had enormous diversity, its unity had been reinforced by hopes and aspirations. He stressed the need for synergy between research and public policy.

Science as saviour

Science alone could help the country to use national resources in a sustainable manner, besides providing value-addition. Against the backdrop of growing inflation, he underscored the need for focussing attention on areas such as agriculture, horticulture and animal husbandry.

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