Double agri growth for 8% GDP: Ahluwalia

Though IT could make a substantial contribution in increasing productivity, there needed reorganisation in the whole system.

Agriculture should be allowed to contribute more towards economic growth as doubling the sector's output could help reach the eight per cent GDP target in 2006-07, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said on Friday.

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"If the economy has to grow at over eight per cent, agriculture growth has to increase from two to four per cent," Ahluwalia said while speaking at the Sixth Baramati Initiative for ICT and Development organised by Vidyapratishthan Institute of Information Technology.

He said though information technology (IT) could make a substantial contribution in increasing productivity, there needed reorganisation in the whole system.

"Instead of e-agriculture, we should name it m-agriculture for modern agriculture as it combines all other aspects along with IT," he suggested talking on the conference theme `Potential of e-agriculture'.

The Planning Commission Deputy Chairman listed various shortcomings including lack of modern farm practices, pre-occupation with food crops and poor post-harvest storing and marketing exercises.

He felt that IT would not bear results unless complemented by a complete process of re-engineering.