Government launches BGREI to boost rice productivity in Eastern India

The Government of India has launched a special programme of ‘Bringing Green Revolution in Eastern India (BGREI)’ - a sub scheme of Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) from 2010-11 in the eastern states with an objective to increase the productivity of rice based cropping system.

In theses seven states comprises of Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh (East) and West Bengal. The rice productivity will be increased by promoting recommended agricultural technologies and addressing the underlying key constraints of different agro climatic sub regions.

Under this scheme, a bouquet of activities have been taken up that include block demonstrations of rice and wheat technologies in cluster mode approach; promoting resource conservation technology (zero tillage under wheat); creation of asset building activities for water management (shallow tube wells/dug wells/bore wells, distribution of pump sets); promotion of farm implements and need based site specific activities etc.

As per third advance estimates, the total production of rice during 2011-12 in seven states of the eastern region is 5.54 million tonnes, which is about 21 percent and 18 percent more than the production of 2009-10 and 2010-11, respectively.