Sikkim bags Agriculture Leadership Award 2013

GANGTOK, 22 Sept [IPR]: Minister for Food Security Agriculture and Horticulture Cash Crop Development Department, DN Thakarpa handed over the “Agriculture Leadership Award 2013” bagged by Sikkim recently to Chief Minister Pawan Chamling at his official residence Mintokgang on Saturday.
The Agriculture Leadership Award 2013 was received by Resident Commissioner, Sikkim House, New Delhi cum Secretary Forest, Environment, Wild Life Management Department, Arvind Kumar on behalf of the State Government of Sikkim on 19 September during the Agriculture Leadership Award  Summit at Hotel Taj, New Delhi.
The Chief Minister while receiving the award congratulated the Department and the farmers of the state for bagging such honor for the state of Sikkim. At the same time the Chief Minister said that to live up to such an honour is a big challenge for the state.
In this regard he suggested that the department should go for capacity building, mass awareness and workshops with the participation of the public. Stressing on the State Organic Mission the Chief Minister also directed the department to go for off-season agricultural products in the state and informed of the government’s plans to take up off-season cultivation on mission mode after completing the Organic Mission.
It may be informed that the Agriculture Leadership Award was established in the year 2008 by Agriculture Today Group comprising of eminent agricultural scientists and agriculture professionals. The award was presented by Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Banwari Lal Joshi in the presence of State Minister for Agriculture, Tarik Anwar, an internationally acclaimed Indian geneticist, Dr. MS Swaminathan, former Minister, Oscar Fernandez and a host of other agriculture scientists.