A state-level Farmers’ Day, dedicated to the welfare and economic upliftment of farmers, was organised at Gauchar in Chamoli district. The programme was inaugurated by Union Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan, in the presence of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
On the occasion, several major announcements were made to strengthen Uttarakhand’s agriculture and rural infrastructure:
• A Clean Plant Centre will be established at Mukteshwar at a cost of ₹100 crore
• ₹90 crore additional budget will be provided during the current financial year under the _Gherbaad Yojana_ to prevent crop damage caused by wild animals
• A Centre of Excellence for Kiwi will be set up in Uttarakhand
• Approval letter for PMGSY–IV was handed over to the Chief Minister
• ₹1,706.94 crore sanctioned for construction of 1,228.2 km of roads to connect 309 habitations under PMGSY–IV
• ₹65.12 crore transferred directly to the bank accounts of 88,000 farmers through DBT under the weather-based crop insurance scheme
The event showcased the unprecedented transformation taking place in agriculture, horticulture, and allied sectors in Uttarakhand, reflecting the government’s sustained commitment towards farmers’ welfare and income enhancement. The Union Agriculture Minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, praised the initiatives undertaken by the state government.
During the programme, the Union Minister and the Chief Minister interacted with farmers from various regions of the state and visited exhibition stalls set up by different departments and women self-help groups. The farmers doing the exemplary were honoured with the ‘Kisan Bhushan Award’ under the ATMA scheme, while farmers and groups contributing significantly through reverse migration and innovation in agriculture were also felicitated.
*Union Agriculture Minister’s Address*
Addressing the gathering, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Centre and the state government are working continuously for the welfare of the people of Uttarakhand. He appreciated the Chief Minister’s commitment to development, women empowerment, and farmer welfare.
He said that despite limited cultivable land, agricultural production in Uttarakhand is increasing steadily. He also praised Uttarakhand’s Malta (orange), he said the Centre would make every effort to promote it in national and international markets.
The Union Minister further stated that the Clean Plant Centre at Mukteshwar will ensure the availability of high-quality planting material for kiwi, apple, Malta, and citrus fruits, preventing losses caused by poor-quality saplings. He added that the Centre and the state government are jointly working with the vision of making Uttarakhand a global hub for fruit and vegetable production. A five-year agricultural roadmap will be prepared through teams of agricultural scientists and officers.
Reiterating the government’s focus on integrated farming, he said diversification into fruits, vegetables, animal husbandry, fisheries, and medicinal plants is essential to increase productivity on small landholdings. He also assured Central support for initiatives such as the Chief Minister Sashakt Bahna Yojana and cited reforms like the Uniform Civil Code, 30 percent reservation for women in government jobs, and block-level Farmers’ Day as examples of good governance.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami welcomed Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Paying tribute to former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna late Chaudhary Charan Singh, he said that farmers are symbols of dignity and hard work, and that the prosperity of the nation is possible only through the prosperity of its farmers. The Chief Minister stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, historic changes have taken place in the country’s agriculture sector. Schemes such as PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, the Crop Insurance Scheme, Soil Health Cards, Natural Farming, and Digital Agriculture have played a key role in making farmers self-reliant. Nearly nine lakh farmers in Uttarakhand are benefiting from these initiatives.
The Chief Minister said that the Uttarakhand government is continuously working for the upliftment of farmers. Interest-free loans of up to three lakh rupees are being provided to farmers. Under the Farm Machinery Bank scheme, subsidies of up to 80 percent are being offered on agricultural equipment. He added that irrigation through canals has been made completely free across the state.
The Chief Minister further informed that a provision of 200 crore rupees has been made for the construction of polyhouses in the state. A bonus of 20 rupees per quintal on wheat and an increase of 30 rupees per quintal on sugarcane have also been implemented. In addition, the Uttarakhand Climate Responsive Rain-fed Farming Project, with an outlay of one thousand crore rupees, has been approved. The state government has introduced new policies to promote crops such as mandua, kiwi, and dragon fruit, involving an investment of 1,200 crore rupees.
Highlighting efforts to strengthen horticulture and pomological development, the Chief Minister said that the Japan-assisted Uttarakhand Integrated Horticultural Development Project, worth 526 crore rupees, is currently being implemented. The state has recorded significant growth in the production of horticultural crops, mushrooms, honey, tea, and aromatic plants. He called upon farmers to actively contribute to the realisation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Viksit Bharat Sankalp 2047” by adopting modern agricultural practices and making maximum use of government schemes.
On the occasion, Agriculture Minister Ganesh Joshi said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the state government is working with full commitment to ensure the successful implementation of schemes aimed at the economic upliftment and welfare of farmers. He stated that Farmers’ Day will be observed on the second Thursday of every month with the objective of addressing farmers’ issues, creating awareness, and providing prompt solutions to agriculture-related matters. Agriculture Secretary Dr S. N. Pandey shared information on departmental schemes and programmes.
The programme was attended by MLAs Anil Nautiyal and Bhupal Ram Tamta, District Panchayat President Daulat Singh Bisht, BJP District President Gajpal Bartwal, Gauchar Municipal Council President Sandeep Negi, Vice Chairman of the Herbal Advisory Council Balveer Ghuniyal, Vice Chairman of the Uttarakhand State Level Watershed Council Ramesh Gadiya, Chairman of the Senior Citizen Welfare Council Ramchandra Gaur, Vice Chairman of the Senior Citizen Welfare Council Harak Singh Negi, former Cabinet Minister Rajendra Bhandari, Vice Chairman of the Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee Rishi Prasad Sati, Municipal Council President Sandeep Rawat, Ganesh Shah, District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar, and Superintendent of Police Surjeet Singh Panwar.
+ There are no comments
Add yours