Kolkata, Oct 15 (IANS): In a bid to preserve indigenous rice varieties of India, the West Bengal government has proposed setting up a rice museum to showcase 'folk' varieties of rice, a scientist said Wednesday.

Proposed to be set up at the Agricultural Training Centre at Fulia in the state's Nadia district, the unique repository will display over 300 samples.

"In the institute's bio-diversity conservation farm, we are maintaining, growing, distributing and characterising over 300 varieties of 'folk' rice.

"The proposed museum will be a large scale initiative where the process of cultivating them and their characters will be highlighted," Anupam Paul, assistant director of agriculture at the Centre, told IANS.

Paul is an agricultural scientist committed to preserving traditional rice variants. This will be the first rice museum in Bengal and probably the first such large scale venture in the country.

"We have created a living farm of 'folk' rice varieties where we study their methods of growth, their properties and determine their taste," Paul said.

Komal Aghnivar, Kelas, Bhutmuri, Kele Anshkata, Kalabakri, Jota, Gora are some of the varieties of 'folk' rice which will be on display.