Dehradun, July 23 : The famous basmati rice of Majra, near Dehradun, has fallen prey to rapid industrialisation. Agriculture Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat today officially admitted in the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly that there was no more production of basmati in Majra.
He also disclosed that at present Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar, Sahaspur, Vikasnagar and Haridwar are the main areas of basmati production.
On account of rapid industrialisation, the area under Basmati cultivation in Majra and Niranjanpur in Dehradun was continuously decreasing over the years.
Furthermore, the announcement that out of 35,687 hectares of agricultural land, 5,000 hectares would be converted into residential colonies in the master plan of Dehradun, was another set back to basmati rice production.
Rawat also told the House that as of now organic basmati was being cultivated on 7,000 hectares in Uttarakhand. He informed that last year 55,451 quintals of basmati was exported.
Meanwhile, Urdu is all set to get a boost in the hill state with the government today announcing in the assembly that an Urdu teacher would be appointed at government schools where more than 25 students express their willingness to study the language.
Replying to an adjournment motion moved by BSP MLA Taslim Ahmed, Minister of State for Education Govind Singh Bist said there were 115 posts of Urdu teachers in the state.
“Out of 115, only 12 posts are vacant and they will be filled as early as possible,” he said, adding that since 2005, 13 Urdu teachers have been appointed in different schools where more than 25 students had expressed their willingness to study the language.
Earlier, Ahmed had alleged that there were 43 schools in the state where there were no Urdu teachers despite the requisite number of students who want to learn the language.