Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, announced that for the first time since independence, farmers were invited to the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking at a program that included dialogue with these farmers and the launch of the National Pest Surveillance System (NPSS), Shri Chouhan expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister for prioritizing farmers, a group he said was often neglected by previous governments. Shri Chouhan emphasized the importance of farmers to the nation’s economy, stating that they are the backbone of the country. He outlined six key areas of focus under the Prime Minister’s leadership to enhance agricultural production, including the introduction of 109 new high-yielding seed varieties and increased communication between farmers and scientists.
The Minister also announced the launch of a new monthly radio program, “Kisano Ki Baat,” aimed at providing farmers with timely scientific information. He emphasized that the farmers’ income in the Modi government has increased significantly from 100 million tomans. 27,000 crore to Rs 1.52 lakh crore, the minister also said that the government will arrange to buy all the plants of tur, masoor and urad grown by the farmers. In addition, Prime Minister Kisan Saman Nidhi has released 200 million tomans. 3.24 lakh crore directly to farmers and the Prime Minister’s Fasal Bima Yojna is now the largest crop insurance scheme in the world. Shri Chauhan asked the farmers to engage in organic farming to improve soil health and announced that a new mission is coming up in this field. He also called for the creation of more Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) to increase income and diversify agriculture.