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Chouhan inaugurates building of maize research institute at Ladhowal

Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan at a stall after inaugurating the building of Indian Institute of Maize Research at Ladhowal in Ludhiana. Tribune Photo: Himanshu Mahajan

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Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today inaugurated the newly constructed building of the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR)-Indian Institute of Maize Research (IIMR) at Ladhowal, Ludhiana, positioning maize as a crop of national significance.

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“It’s no longer just ‘makki di roti with sarson da saag’, maize today is a source of ethanol, starch, quality food and vital animal feed,” he said.

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Chouhan highlighted that maize production in India rose by 10.5 per cent last year, reaching 42 million tonnes. With nearly 1 million additional hectares under maize this kharif season, the output was expected to touch 47-50 million tonnes. He emphasised maize’s contribution to ethanol — nearly 50% — and its role in saving ?1.44 lakh crore in crude oil imports, of which ?1.25 lakh crore was paid directly to farmers.

“Maize alone has brought ?45,000 crore in benefits, transforming farmers from ‘annadata to indhanadata’,” he said, adding that India, currently second in global maize production, aimed to become number one in this regard.

During his visit, Chouhan interacted with farmers, SHGs and rural stakeholders, reiterating the Centre’s push for crop diversification and calling maize a sustainable alternative to paddy. He urged scientists to move beyond labs and engage directly with farmers and asked the BJP leaders to ensure that timely compensation reached those affected by recent floods.

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Expressing displeasure over the absence of Punjab’s Rural Development Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sondh, Chouhan said he had invited him to discuss flood damage. He criticised the state government for not implementing the PM Fasal Bima Yojana and urged Punjab Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian to ensure its rollout. He alleged that the state had not submitted complete flood damage details to the Centre and responded to CM Bhagwant Mann’s earlier remarks about Union ministers visiting Punjab for photo ops. “I didn’t come for tourism — I came after witnessing the flood-hit areas firsthand,” he said.

Chouhan said ?1.60 lakh per family was being given for rebuilding 36,703 flood-damaged houses in Punjab and detailed that a ?1,600-crore relief package had already been sanctioned, including seed distribution and PM-Kisan transfers. A separate fund for silt removal had also been announced.

The ICAR–IIMR director Dr Hanuman Sahay Jat said that the institute had developed 45 maize hybrids and 24 biofortified varieties, with maize-based catchments now spanning 78 districts across 15 states.

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