BioVoice News August 2017 Issue 3 Volume 2 | Page 92

news bytes GOVT TO SET UP FIRST OF ITS KIND MEGA FOOD PARK IN PUNJAB AGRICULTURE MINISTER INTERACTS WITH THE PUBLIC THROUGH FACEBOOK LIVE Mrs Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Union Minister of Food Processing Industry laid the foundation stone for First Maize based Mega Food Park in Kapurthala, Punjab recently. Speaking on the occasion Mrs Badal said that Maize is an amazing cereal and is an alternate to Jhona (paddy) and Kanak (wheat). Maize is rich in protein, provides nutritional requirements that India needs and Maize consumes much lesser water and could contain the problem of further water depletion. Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister, Mr Radha Mohan Singh recently interacted with the public through Facebook Live. This interaction was organised in coordination with the Ministry of Information Bureau and Press Information Bureau. The Mega Food Park is being developed by Sukhjit Mega Food park & Infra Limited at village Rehana Jattan, Phagwara, District Kapurthala, Punjab. Mrs Badal also said that there is an urgent need to turn to Maize and our government would relentlessly work to make Maize as the third viable staple crop of Punjab after Wheat and Rice and growing of maize with enhanced quality of seeds. 92 BioVoiceNews | August 2017 The three departments of the Agriculture Ministry participated in the event. As per the statement by the ministry officials, lakhs of people watched this program and asked questions from the Minister who furnished the audience with instant replies. Several comments were put forward even prior to the event using #AskRadhaMohanSingh. GOVT GIVES NOD TO INTERNATIONAL RICE RESEARCH INSTITUTE AT VARANASI The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi