By Avijit Biswas
Bhagalpur: The Bihar Agricultural University (BAU), Sabour will play a pivotal role in study to be undertaken for formulating a comprehensive plan for agriculture and allied sectors including rural development for Purvodaya states.
The university has been entrusted responsibility of acting as nodal agency for conducting the study by National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog). Taking note research achievements besides expertise of BAU, the university has been made nodal agency for the important study.
The study findings are likely to be the basis for preparing NITI Ayog comprehensive development plan for Purvodaya states concerning agriculture. The government of India it may be mentioned has initiated the Purvodaya plan for holistic development in eastern region including Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
The Purvodaya plan aims at exploiting growth potentials of the region focusing on Key areas. Apart from addressing unique challenges, the plan as per information would be also designed to ensure available opportunities could be utilized in best possible way for development of eastern region.
The NITI Ayog has observed, Bihar being one of the critical states of eastern India needs focused analysis and strategic interventions under Purvodaya initiative for addressing existing challenges and utilizing vast development potential of the state.
In light of the observation, nomination of BAU as nodal agency for planned study could be particularly useful in identifying needed measures that could help achieve developmental goals set for Bihar under Purvodaya initiative.
The terms of reference of study for which university has been made nodal agency, include analysis of the key issues and challenges in Purovdaya region concerning sectors identified in past studies and regional plans. The performance of the previous regional plans would be taken into consideration for the study.
Identifying potential targets for the sectors to be covered under the study, keeping in view challenges of the sector forms part of terms of reference of the study. The terms of reference of study also includes interventions needed for bridging the developmental gaps besides estimation of financial requirement for the purpose.
Dr D. R Singh, VC, BAU expressing happiness over nomination said entrustment of responsibility for acting as nodal agency for the important study is sort of acknowledgement of university leadership in field of agricultural research and development. Following study, the university team would specify required strategies for attaining objectives of Purvodaya plan, he informed.
Dr A K Singh, director, research said the Purvodaya plan aligns with university initiative of registering impactful agricultural innovations. The university looks forward to address issues detrimental in agricultural growth and prepare developmental road map through the study, he added.
- Writer Avijit Biswas, former principal correspondent of Hindustan Times Bhagalpur bureau, can be contacted at biswasavijit@yahoo.comContact number (mobile): +919431095516
