<P> Three quarters of the world's poorest people get their food and income by farming small plots of land...if we can make smallholder farming more productive and more profitable, we can have a massive impact on hunger and nutrition and poverty...the charge is clear--we have to develop crops that can grow in a drought; that can survive in a flood; that can resist pests and disease...we need higher yields on the same land in harsher weather ." </P> <P> Gates made these remarks during the World Food Prize . He has made over 1.4 billion in contributions towards agricultural developments . </P> <P> The then Union Finance Minister of India, Pranab Mukherjee, made a statement to parliament that he would explore the possibility of setting up a committee of CMs of the eastern states for a second green revolution in the region and praised Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal for substantial increase in rice production during the current fiscal . Replying to the debate on 2012 - 13 Union Budget in Rajya Sabha, Mukherjee said due to substantial increase in rice output in the eastern states to the tune of 7 million tonnes in 2011 - 12, production of the staple grain has risen to a record 10.2 million tonnes . He said this was possible because of special thrust given on realizing the agricultural potential of eastern states . </P> <P> Accepting the suggestion of JD (U) member NK Singh, Mukherjee said he would explore the possibility of setting up a committee of chief ministers of eastern states "to give further impetus to achieving green revolution" in the region . Singh had suggested setting up of such a panel . He said: "Given the importance of incentivizing agriculture in the eastern region, a chief ministers' committee comprising the CMs from the eastern states should be constituted for a coherent action plan and adequate support from the central government". His suggestion came as one of the eight "tangible actions" which, he thought, would lend credibility to the budgetary announcements . The government had earlier allocated an additional Rs 400 crore in 2011 - 12 under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana for extending green revolution to the eastern region comprising Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Eastern UP, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and West Bengal . Rice was a priority crop under the scheme . Seeing the success of the scheme, the Budget 2012 - 13 has raised the allocation to Rs 1,000 crore . </P>

When was second green revolution started in india