Chandigarh, April 3 -- Niti Aayog member Ramesh Chand on Thursday said those defending status quo in the field of agriculture do not have the courage to introduce changes which is leading to a creative destruction. During a discussion on diversification for higher income and sustainable agriculture in Punjab and Haryana, organised at the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID), he raised concern regarding overproduction of crops, particularly paddy. Other experts also raised similar concerns. Hailing Punjab for its best alluvial soil and irrrigation facilities for 98% agricultural land, he said the challenge was to shun sarkari fasal (crops covered under the minimum support price) and adopt bazari fasal (crops as per market requirements). "Why for 50 years we have been thinking in perpetuity and working on food security?" he questioned, hinting that nation has enough food and now the time is to look to beyond (diversification). "There are three main reasons why we want to change - income growth, sustainable agriculture and inclusive growth with remunerative employment," he said, setting the agenda for the discussion. "The Punjab unemployment rate is almost double (5.8%) of the national average (3.1%). The simplest way to judge a state's economy is comparing its contribution to the national economy, which was 6.2% in the 1990s and declined to 3.4% in 2022-23. In early 1990s, the per capita income put the state was on the first or second position which has come down to 12th. But consumption hasn't declined. That means production is taking place in other states," he stated. The expert further mentioned that for many years, the Punjab agriculture income had been higher than the non-agriculture income, but it is falling now. Referring to the policymakers, he said policies cannot create potential as potential has to be created by the human resource. He also pointed that the funds are not being spared for research as the institutes, such Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, are struggling to pay salaries. He asked farmer and researchers to look for diversification for sustainable agriculture. Basmati is an example of that, he said. Shifting to horticulture can bring five times more income. Maize, he suggested, is very promising crop. Ashok Gulati from the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) called upon the policymakers to repurpose the subsidy on power and fertiliser. He asked the farmers to stop overproduction of rice. "The nation requires 7.6-million-tonne rice in buffer and it has 71 million tonnes in its stocks. Rice production has sustainability, soil, water and biodiversity issues," he added, while stressing on the need for high value crop seeking incentive on pulses and oilseeds. Former bureaucrat Vinni Mahajan, who is also vice president of Chandigarh Citizens Foundation (CCF), and Ramesh Inder Singh, also a member of the CCF governing council besides economists RS Ghuman and Sukhpal Singh were also present....