Umendra Dutt.
Chandigarh, June 25, 2015: To promote organic farming in the country, the Modi government has constituted Task Force on Organic and Non-chemical Farming. Seven members from all over the nation have been nominated to be the part of this task force in which Umendra Dutt from North India is one. Dutt has been promoting and working for organic farming in Punjab since many years and he is the founder-director of Kheti Virasat Mission.
In a notification issued by Central Agriculture Ministry, VC of Rajmata Vijayraja Scindia Krishi University, Gwalior Dr. Anil Kumar will be the convener of this task force. The list of members includes Dr. A.K. Singh, Dy. Director General (Agriculture Extension), Central Agriculture Dept., Dr. Krishna Chandra, Director, National Centre for Organic Farming, Ghaziabad (UP), Shri Ananda from Karnataka, Dr. O.P. Rupela from Andhra Pradesh, Umendra Dutt, Director, Kheti Virasat Mission (Punjab) and Dr. B. Mohan Kumar from the Central Agriculture Ministry.
According to the Central Agriculture Ministry, this task force will work to promote the organic and non-chemical farming in the country because organic farming, which is free from chemical fertilizers and pesticides, also promotes the traditional techniques of agriculture. According to the Ministry, in the year 2009-10 the organic farming had acreage of 4.55 lac hectare which rose to 6 lac hectares in the year 2013-14 and 6 lac farmers opted the model of organic farming.
To promote organic farming in Punjab, Kheti Virasat Mission has done a lot under the leadership of Umendra Dutt. Keeping in view his hard work and contribution for the cause, the central government has appointed him as the member of this specially constituted task force.