Wednesday, July 27 2005 12:59 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: India and the United States (US) will soon take a major initiative in exchange of scientific and technical information in the agriculture sector and enhanced cooperation among agricultural institutions of the two countries, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said today (July 27, 2005).

Observing that he had raised this issue with the US Administration during his recent visit to Washington, Singh told the Lok Sabha that such exchange of information was aimed at ensuring revitalisation of research and development in the sector.

Intervening during the Question Hour, the Prime Minister said the Government had targeted doubling of the flow of credit to the agriculture sector.

"The progress in the last one year has been better than anticipated," he said assuring the House that the Government was very serious in augmenting credit flow in agriculture and rural sectors.

Singh said the Government had set up a group, headed by noted expert M S Swaminathan, to look into deficiencies in the agricultural credit and other systems and find ways to resolve them.

The group had already submitted its report, which was under Government's consideration, the Prime Minister said.