Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India (BGREI), a sub scheme of Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), launched in 2010-11. It is being implemented in seven eastern states namely Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Eastern Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

Under the programme, assistance is being provided to the farmers for organizing cluster demonstrations on rice and wheat, seed production and distribution, nutrient management and soil ameliorants, integrated pest management, cropping system-based training, asset-building such as farm machineries & implements, irrigation devices, site specific activities and post-harvest & marketing support, etc. 

BGREI programme is intended to address the constraints limiting the productivity of “rice based cropping systems” in eastern India. Under these systems, the other crops like wheat, coarse-cum-nutri cereals, pulses & oilseeds are already covered.

Background

    • Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India (BGREI) program is the outcome of the recommendations of the Task Force constituted by Government of India in pursuance to recommendations for efficient management of water, power and other inputs as well as subsidy to maximize agricultural production on a sustainable basis.

    • Accordingly, "Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India (BGREI)" program was initiated in 2010-11 to address the constraints limiting the productivity of "rice based cropping systems" in Eastern India comprising  seven states namely, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Eastern Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

    • The goal of the BGREI program is to harness the water potential for enhancing rice production in Eastern India which was hitherto underutilized.

    • In the subsequent years 2011-12 and 2012-13, the program provided a more focused approach on medium- and long-term strategies for asset building activities of water conservation and utilization along with short-term strategies pertaining to transfer of technology of major cereals. 

    • Accordingly, BGREI comprised of three broad categories of interventions: 

    • block demonstrations

    • asset building activities such as construction of shallow tube wells / bore wells / dug wells, pump sets,seed drills, etc.

    • site specific activities for facilitating petty works such as construction/renovation of irrigation channels/electricity for agricultural purposes in a cluster approach for convenience and cost

    • effectiveness.

Objectives

    • To increase production & productivity of rice and wheat by adopting latest crop production technologies

    • To promote cultivation in rice fallow area to increase cropping intensity and income of the farmers

    • To create water harvesting structures and efficient utilization of water potential

    • To promote post-harvest technology and marketing support.

Strategy utilised

    • To promote improved production technology of rice on massive scale including popularization of newly released HY cultivars and hybrids;

    • To bring rice fallow areas under cultivation through cropping system-based approach

    • To popularise adoption of stress tolerant rice varieties

    • To create irrigation structures like farm ponds, lift irrigation point, etc to improve irrigation potential

    • To promote use of farm machineries and implements suitable for small land holding sizes

    • To create infrastructure such as godown, procurement centre, marketing infrastructure, etc.

    • To provide technical backstopping by scientists ofCRR!, SAU & ICAR institutions.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants. The views expressed here are personal.)