SAMASTIPUR, July 18 -- Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday reaffirmed the Modi government's commitment to making India the food basket of the world while addressing the 4th convocation ceremony of Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University at Pusa in Bihar's Samastipur district. Highlighting the achievements of the past decade, the minister said that once, former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri had made a call to give up one meal to deal with food shortages. As of today, our food granaries are full and well-stocked across the country. "Food grain production in the country has increased by 40 per cent in the last 11 years. There was a time when we relied on imported American PL-480 red wheat. Today, we are self-sufficient and export Basmati rice worth Rs.50,000 crore along with other agricultural products to several countries," he said. Chouhan emphasised the role of research and technology in driving India's agricultural growth, stating that Indian scientists will continue to innovate and increase productivity to meet global demands and ensure food security. Addressing the graduating students, the minister urged them to apply their knowledge and skills in the agriculture sector and contribute through innovative solutions to the overall growth of the state. "You are the future of Indian agriculture. Use your talent to strengthen the sector and help realise the vision of a prosperous, self-reliant India," he said. According to university officials, degrees were awarded to students who passed their examinations between 2023 and December 2024. A total of 800 students received degrees, while 14 students were awarded gold medals for academic excellence in various disciplines across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. During his visit, the minister also inaugurated two major infrastructure projects on the university campus - an international guest house (Aryavrat Antarrashtriya Atithi Grih) constructed to house 50 guests and a newly built Vikramshila hostel facility with a capacity of 400 beds for students from different states and backgrounds. Apart from university officials, Union Minister R. N. Thakur and Deputy CM Vijay Sinha were among those present on the occasion....