Paliganj (Bihar):
Call it the "Kalam touch", farmers of Paliganj village in Patna district are reaping the benefits of the science of agriculture taught by former President APJ Abdul Kalam.
From owning cars and TVs to refrigerators, the farmers of Paliganj are a well-to-do lot today, their income from agriculture having registered a three-fold increase in the last decade or so.
The villagers attribute their burgeoning wealth, commensurate with the increase in agricultural yield, to Dr Kalam's several visits to the village over the years.
Between 2003 and 2011, the former President visited the village four times and during each visit he sat with the farmers to teach them how to increase the yield, Secretary of Paliganj Bitarni Krishak Samiti (PBKS) Balmiki Sharma said.
The sessions with the President were not confined to his visits only, the farmers met him also at the Rashtrapati Bhawan four times to gain wisdom from the scholarly scientist, he said.
Mr Sharma told PTI, "The villagers have planned to offer "citizenship of Paliganj" to Abdul Kalam due to his 'dedicated' service to the region."
Gopal Singh Yadav, a farmer and president of the PBKS, said the farmers earlier harvested about nine quintals of paddy from an acre, but after the scientific tips from Dr Kalam the productivity has gone up to 27 quintals per acre - a three-fold jump.
"Similarly, the yield of wheat has also risen from about five quintals to 12 quintals per acre now," Yadav, who owns three acres of land, said.