hyderabad
Condolences have poured in from different quarters in Telangana on the passing away of father of Green Revolution in India and eminent agricultural scientist M.S. Swaminathan at Chennai on Thursday morning.
Minister for Agriculture S. Niranjan Reddy, who went to Chennai to meet Dr. Swaminathan two moths back, said the agriculture scientist’s death was a great loss the farming sector in the country. “When invited to visit Telangana to see the transformation that is taking place in the State, he (Dr. Swaminathan) told me that he will definitely make it soon, provided his health cooperated,” the Minister recollected in his condolence message.
Legislative Assembly Speaker and former Minister for Agriculture Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, Legislative Council Chairman Gutha Sukender Reddy, Deputy Chairman Banda Prakash, in separate messages, said it was due to the efforts of Dr. Swaminathan that the country had achieved self-reliance in the production of foodgrains from the position of ship to mouth (huge dependency on imports) after independence with Green Revolution initiated under his guidance.
Vice-Chairman of the State Planning Board B. Vinod Kumar said Dr. Swaminathan had brought revolutionary changes in foodgrains production in the country and he was working for the betterment of farmers’ lives till his death. It was a panel led by Dr. Swaminathan that had recommended fixing of minimum support price for crops 50% in addition to the average weighted production cost.
Ministers E. Dayakar Rao, G. Jagadish Reddy also expressed condolences on the death of Dr. Swaminathan. Managing Director of State Seed Development Corporation and president of International Seed Testing Association K. Keshavulu said Dr. Swaminathan has left behind the vision for sustainable agriculture development towards a hunger-free world for the present day policy makers and scientists.
