Researchers from the Rice Research Station at Chinsurah and the National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow have jointly developed and commercialised a new rice variety called Muktoshri.
- The new rice variety is resistant to arsenic.
- The new rice variety is also called IET 21845.
- West Bengal is among the States with the highest concentration of arsenic in groundwater.
- 83 blocks across seven districts having higher arsenic levels than permissible limits.
- The work on developing the variety started in 2006 and by 2013 the scientists were successful.
