Uttarakhand News:Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday inaugurated the mega farmers’ conference at Pantnagar University of Agriculture and Technology on the occasion of the silver jubilee celebrations of the state. In the programme, progressive farmers and lakhpati didis of agriculture, horticulture, dairy, fishery and co-operation were honored by the Chief Minister by presenting them insignia, citations and garments. Agriculture Minister Shri Ganesh Joshi was also present on this occasion.
While congratulating all the farmers who came to the program on the silver jubilee of the establishment of Uttarakhand state, the Chief Minister said that the hard work and sacrifice of the farmer brothers is our true capital and their sweat is our strength. He also paid tribute to the farmers who have contributed in realizing the dream of building Uttarakhand and who have made incomparable contribution in making the state self-reliant in the last 25 years. He said that this conference is not only a general event to discuss agriculture related schemes, but is also an opportunity to express gratitude to all our farmer brothers of Uttarakhand and their families. He said that for the balanced development of the country and the state, it is necessary that the problems of our farmer brothers be reduced and they become empowered. Empowerment of the nation is incomplete without the empowerment of farmers. He said that respected Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s dream of building a developed India can be realized only when our farmers develop. We all know that India has been an agricultural country since ancient times.
Agriculture is the basis of human life
The Chief Minister said that our society developed around farming, our traditions were nurtured and our festivals and festivals were determined. He said that it is also written in our scriptures that agriculture provides wealth and intelligence and agriculture is the basis of human life. He said that for him farming is like worshiping God, because his father was both a soldier and a farmer. The satisfaction that farming provides by feeding people cannot be explained. This is the reason why he is still associated with farming and whenever he gets time, he also goes to his village to do farming. He said that farming not only gives him spiritual peace but also keeps him connected to his land. This connection with the soil always makes them aware of their existence, desired actions and duties.
Prime Minister Kisan Samman Nidhi became a boon for farmers
The Chief Minister said that the amount of empowerment of farmers that has taken place under the leadership of respected Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi since 2014 is unprecedented. The Prime Minister is of the opinion that the confidence of the farmers of the country is the biggest strength of the country, and considering this as the core, the Central Government is working to improve the condition of the farmers and make agricultural policies farmer-centric. He said that it is the continuous effort of the government that the modern facilities available to the farmers of big countries of the world should also be available to the farmers of India. It is the resolve of the Prime Minister that the journey from seed to market should not only be easy for our farmers but should also increase their income. Today, 11 crore farmers across the country are being provided financial assistance through the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, under which approximately 9 lakh farmers of Uttarakhand are also being provided financial assistance.
Farmers’ welfare is our resolve
The Chief Minister said that today, on one hand, farmers are being provided fair price for their crops by unprecedented increase in the minimum support price on all major crops. At the same time, through the Prime Minister Crop Insurance Scheme, farmers are also being provided security cover against losses caused by natural disasters, crop diseases and pests. He said that through the Soil Health Card Scheme, farmers are being given information about the deficiency of nutrients and necessary fertilizers by scientifically testing the soil of the fields, due to which both the quality of their produce and the fertility of the land are improving. He said that under the leadership and guidance of the respected Prime Minister, our state government is also working continuously with determination for the upliftment and prosperity of the farmers of the state. On one hand, we are providing interest-free loans of up to Rs 3 lakh to the farmers in the state, on the other hand, we are also providing subsidy of up to 80 percent through the Farm Machinery Bank Scheme for purchasing agricultural equipment. Not only this, we have worked to make irrigation from canals completely free in the interest of farmers.
Efforts are being made to increase the income of farmers
The Chief Minister said that we have also made a provision of Rs 200 crore for the construction of polyhouses to increase the income of farmers. Under this, till now about 350 polyhouses have been established in the state with the assistance of about Rs 115 crore. He said that while on one hand we are providing a bonus of Rs 20 per quintal to the farmers on the purchase of wheat, we have also increased the rate of sugarcane by Rs 20 per quintal. Additionally, we have also approved the Uttarakhand Climate Responsive Rain-Fed Farming Project at a cost of approximately Rs 1,000 crore to take rain-fed farming to new heights in the hilly areas of Uttarakhand. He said that like vegetables, our government is also working at various levels to increase the production of fruits. Our government has implemented many important schemes like New Apple Policy, Kiwi Policy, State Millet Mission and Dragon Fruit Policy at a cost of Rs 1200 crore. He said that under these policies, up to 80 percent subsidy is being provided to the farmers to encourage horticulture.
The Chief Minister said that we are also providing grants for the construction of grading-sorting units to enhance the quality of the produce of the farmers. He said that there are more than 50 mushroom units, more than 30 cow rearing units, 30 cold chain units, 18 cold storage, 5 CA in the state. Storage, 128 large food processing units, 1030 micro food enterprises and 2 mega food parks are established. He said that under the Horticulture Mission Scheme, 50 to 55 percent grant is being given to the farmers of the state for nursery establishment, protected cultivation, horticulture mechanization, post-harvest management and processing. He said that due to the efforts of the government, the productivity of fruits has increased two and a half times, which was earlier 1.82 metric tons per hectare, now it has increased to 4.52 metric tons. Today Uttarakhand ranks fifth in the country in mushroom production. At the time of formation of the state, mushroom production was only 500 metric tons, but today it has increased to 27,390 metric tons. Similarly, in honey production, the state has reached eighth place in the country and now 3,320 metric tonnes of honey is being produced.
Tea tourism is being promoted
The Chief Minister said that for the overall development of horticulture, an externally aided project of Rs 526 crore is being implemented in Tehri, Uttarkashi, Nainital and Pithoragarh districts under the Japan-assisted Uttarakhand Integrated Horticulture Development Project. He said that the Aroma Plant Center has developed aromatic farming in 9,500 hectare area by promoting crops like lemongrass, mint, rose, bay leaf, chamomile, with which more than 28,000 farmers have joined through 109 aroma clusters. He said that the state has also made remarkable progress in tea production. While at the time of formation of the state, tea was cultivated in only 196 hectares, today it has expanded to 1,585 hectares. Now six lakh kilograms of green leaves are being produced in the state and about one and a half lakh kilograms of processed tea is being prepared. He said that while promoting tea tourism, tea gardens in Silingtog of Champawat, Shyamkhet and Ghorakhal of Nainital, and Kausani of Bageshwar have been linked to tourism, due to which the local youth are getting new employment opportunities.
Our effort is to make the state self-reliant in the field of agriculture
The Chief Minister said that in the Silver Jubilee year, we are making a new beginning with the message of farmer of Uttarakhand – pride of Uttarakhand. He appealed to everyone and said that let us all together make Uttarakhand a prosperous, self-reliant and modern agricultural state. Because your hard work, our policies and the support of the Central Government, together will create a healthy, prosperous and golden future for our coming generations, and will prove fruitful in nourishing our alternative resolve to make Uttarakhand the best state of the country. During this, the Chief Minister also inspected various stalls.
In his address at the farmers’ conference, Agriculture Minister Ganesh Joshi congratulated and wished everyone a happy Silver Jubilee. He said that in the last 25 years, unprecedented work has been done in the field of agriculture and horticulture. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is equally concerned about the farmers as he is about the soldiers standing at the border. He said that agriculture has an important contribution in the country’s GDP and the Prime Minister has done the historic work of sending funds through DBT to the accounts of 10 crore farmers. He said that Uttarakhand now ranks third after Kashmir and Himachal in the field of horticulture. Minister Joshi said that the state government has prepared special policies for Dragon Fruit, Apple, Kiwi and Millet so that farmers can get more benefits.
The Agriculture Minister said, “Farmers are our food providers, if the farmer is strong then the country will be strong. He said that the Dhami government is continuously working towards doubling the welfare of the farmers and their livelihood. He said that the women of the state are also moving rapidly towards self-reliance. Through groups, women are doing the work of livelihood promotion and till now 1.65 lakh women have become ‘Lakhpati Didi’.
While presiding over the program, Regional MLA Tilakraj Behad said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the state is progressing day by day and the Chief Minister constantly visits and communicates among the farmers. He said that we have to rise above party politics and solve public problems on priority. He expressed gratitude for building an industrial park in Kichha and also thanked the Chief Minister for announcing the repair of dilapidated roads in Pantnagar.
On this occasion, officials Anil Kapoor Dabboo, Balraj Pasi, Uttam Dutta, Khateeb Ahmed, Mayor Vikas Sharma, Deepak Bali, Secretary to the Chief Minister and Kumaon Commissioner Deepak Rawat, Secretary SN Pandey, District Magistrate Nitin Singh Bhadauria, Senior Superintendent of Police Nainital Manjunath TC, many public representatives and a large number of farmer brothers were present.
