Need to increase crop yield: Kalam

Former president Dr APJ Abdul Kalam has underlined the need of reducing agricultural dependence and increasing crop yield to usher prosperity in rural areas.

"There was a need to cut down dependence on agriculture and increase crop yield to usher in prosperity in rural areas," Dr Kalam said in an interaction with the student of Indian Institute of Management here yesterday.

He said under Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas (Pura) mission, the farmers were facing problems of low farm yield and shortage of alternate job avenues to improve their economic condition.

Private participation should be involved in Pura for its success, adding that 1,200 Pura centres will be set up in 600 districts across the country under 11th five-year plan (2007-'12), Kalam said.

IIM Indore can play a crucial role in attaining objectives of Pura, he said.

The former president laid emphasis on increasing crop production contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country.