Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee today paid rich tributes to late Congress leader C Subramaniam, saying he saved India from the humiliation of going with the begging bowl for foodgrains by bringing about the country's Green Revolution.
Releasing a Rs5 commemorative coin, which was brought out to mark the centenary of Subramaniam at a function in his home town Pollachi near here, Mukherjee recalled that the country was literally compelled to import foodgrains in the 60s due to drought for three consecutive years with inflation soaring to as high as 24%.
Subramaniam, as then then Union agriculture minister, laid the foundation for the green revolution, by encouraging farmers to adopt latest technologies, which bore fruit, resulting in the country becoming self-sufficient in foodgrains, he said.
When the Indira Gandhi government was defeated in 1977, the rate of inflation was negative and for the first time India achieved, though small, a breakthrough in international trade. The export was more than import in 1976, Mukherjee, who was then the deputy finance minister to Subramaniam, said.
Stating that he learnt from Subramaniam many things, including the procedures of Lok Sabha and how to respond to queries from members, Mukherjee said the former fully justified the confidence then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru had reposed on him by building strong economy and agricultural sector and also democracy.
Union home minister P Chidambaram said Subramaniam being a multifaceted person, was the scientist among scientists, administrator among administrtors and statesman among the statesmen.
Subramaniam was instrumental in freeing India from hunger, Chidambaram said adding that due to his contribution to education, Tamil Nadu was now in the forefront in the sector.
Though India has the capability to produce more and become self sufficient to feed its 110 crore population, there were some problems, particularly storage facility and proper distribution. Once these were achieved, nobody would have to starve, he said.
