Hamid Ansari lays stress on increasing agriculture production for inclusive growth

New Delhi/Jalandhar, December 26, 2013: Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari has laid stress on increasing agriculture production for inclusive growth. Delivering Ch.Ranbir Singh Centenary Memorial Lecture in Maharshi Dayanand University at Rohtak today. Ansari said that increasing agriculture production is not only essential for food security, but also for the development of other sectors of economic. Industry also depends on agriculture for most of the raw material.
On this occasion, Haryana Governor Jagannath Pahadia, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Rajya Sabha MP Shadi Lal Batra, MLAs Bharat Bhushan Batra, Anand Singh Dangi and Shakuntla Khatak, Vice Chancellor of the University H.S. Chahal and Chairman of Ch. Ranbir Singh Chair Gyan Singh were also present, besides others.
Ansari said that Ch. Ranbir Singh always raised his voice in support of farmers, workers and backward people. For building the country, he laid stress on rural development and said that villagers should get their due share and farmers should get remunerative price for their produce. For achieving the target of 4 percent and above growth rate in agriculture, there is need of second revolution, he said.  
Appreciating the contribution of Haryana in agriculture production and rural development, Ansari said that the Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his son Deepender Hooda are furthering the tradition of Ch. Ranbir Singh in public service. Ansari said that the resources of land and water are limited and there are also problems of climate change, salinity and depleting ground water level. Therefore we have to make optimum use of available land and water resources and keep in mind the environmental balance. R & D agencies can help in this direction by developing appropriate technologies. It is a matter of satisfaction that Ch. Ranbir Singh Chair and Ch. Ranbir Singh Institute of Social and Economic Change are doing good work in this direction.
Paying tributes to Ch. Ranbir Singh Ansari said that he was a devoted Gandhian, a great freedom fighter, a parliamentarian, an able administrator and the leader of masses. He remained member of seven Houses. His life is a source of inspiration and his ideology is relevant today also.
Ansari also released a book – Ch. Ranbir Singh in Rajya Sabha- on this occasion.
Paying his tributes to Ch. Ranbir Singh, Governor Jagannath Pahadia said that he was fortunate enough to have met him. His life was based on values and principles at younger age, he joined freedom movement. He always kept himself away from controversies. His contribution in the development of Bhakra Nangal Dam is commendable. Chief Minister Hooda is following his ideals in the development of Haryana.
Chief Minister Hooda thanked Vice President Ansari for having taken time out of his busy schedule. Hooda said that Ch. Ranbir Singh was a true Gandhian and popular leader of masses.  As member of Constitutional Assembly, he got chance to work with great leaders like Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel and Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar. Socio- economic philosophy of Ch. Ranbir Singh is a source of inspiration for us for development of Haryana, he said.
Hooda said that Ch. Ranbir Singh always worked for the cause of farmers, the poor and the backward. He remained  member of seven Houses, which is an example in its itself. When he was Punjab Minister, Bhakra Dam was completed, which helped in bringing green revolution. This Dam was so much in his mind that in his last wish, he said that his ashes should be immersed in Govind Sagar Lake.