New Delhi, Aug 11 (IANS): The National Agricultural Research System (NARS) developed 1,017 varieties of 69 field crops and 206 varieties of 58 horticultural crops, the Parliament was informed on Tuesday.

These varieties were developed by the NARS during last 3 years i.e. from 2018 to 2020 and current year, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.

The NARS, under the aegis of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) comprising of ICAR institutes and state/Central Agricultural Universities, is involved in development of new high yielding and biotic/abiotic stress tolerant crop varieties of field and horticultural crops.

The ICAR has a strong network of All India Coordinated Research Projects (AICRPs)/ All India Network Projects (AINPs), coordinated by different ICAR institutes, which are operational in the various Central and state Agricultural Universities and ICAR institutes for development of new crop varieties of field and horticultural crops.

Presently, 44 AICRPs/AINPs of field and horticultural crops are operational through 50 SAUs/CAUs/DUs and 55 ICAR institutes across the country at 1,017 locations.

The ICAR has sanctioned Rs 3,340.32 crore for these research institutes/universities during 2018-19 to 2021-22 and Rs 2,420.32 crore has been utilised till 2020-21, the minister added.