Amaravati, Feb 8 (PTI) India’s agriculture sector must transition into a demand-based enterprise from a supply-driven one and keep pace with changing dietary sensibilities, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister
N Chandrababu Naidu said on Sunday.
Water, being a scarce resource, needs to be conserved on priority and strategic linking of critical rivers is imperative, Naidu said in an interview with PTI Videos.
“Money is not a constraint. Proper public policies are needed. If water is there, India will not have any problem of agricultural productivity. Farmers are ready to produce. Simultaneously, you have to guide what type of agriculture you have to promote. Again, demand-driven, based on food habits, and also what is good for health,” he said, underlining that nutritional philosophy has evolved.
“Earlier, it was all about carbohydrates. Now, the focus has shifted to protein. Earlier, it was about very rich food. Now, it is about balanced nutrition. People are health-conscious,” he stressed.
Linking of rivers, Naidu said, could avert wastage of water that flows into the sea untapped. It could turn water-scarce areas into water-surplus ones if executed smartly, he emphasised.
“Just like a bank balance, I am working on having a water balance. It has been my dream from the beginning, Ganga-Kaveri linking. To start with, some people will resist, but those who are willing, you can work it out with them. Ultimately, you can link (the rivers),” he said. PTI SAP RC
