PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Pantnagar
Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has said that the hard work and dedication of the farmers is the real treasure and strength of the State. He said that the Viksit Bharat dream of Prime Minister Narendra Modi can be fulfilled only by Viksit farmers. He was addressing a farmer’s convention at GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology in Pantnagar on Friday.
Paying tribute to the farmers who contributed in building Uttarakhand, the CM stated that this conclave is not merely an event to discuss agricultural schemes but is also an opportunity to express gratitude to all the farmers and their families in Uttarakhand. He stated that for the development of the country and the State, it is essential that the problems of the farmers are reduced and they become empowered.
The CM said under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the farmers of the country become empowered. The PM believes that the self-confidence of the country’s farmers is the nation’s greatest strength and the central government is working to improve the condition of farmers and make agricultural policies farmer-centric. He said that the government is continuously striving to ensure that Indian farmers have access to the modern facilities available to farmers in major countries. “Today, 11 crore farmers across the country are being provided financial assistance through the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, under which approximately nine lakh farmers in Uttarakhand are also being provided assistance,’’ he said.
The CM said that the State government is providing interest-free loans up to Rs three lakh to farmers. Similarly a subsidy up to 80 per cent is being given to farmers for purchasing agricultural equipment through the Farm Machinery Bank scheme.
Dhami averred that a sum of Rs 200 crore has been earmarked for construction of polyhouses. Under this scheme, approximately 350 polyhouses have been established in the state so far. The CM added that to improve the quality of farmers’ produce, the government is also providing grants for the construction of grading and sorting units. He added that the state has established over 50 mushroom units, over 30 beekeeping units, 30 cold chain units, 18 cold storages, 128 large food processing units, 1030 micro food enterprises, and two mega food parks. He said that under the Horticulture Mission, farmers are being provided 50 to 55 per cent subsidy for setting up of a nursery, cultivation, horticultural mechanisation, post-harvest management and processing. He said that due to the government’s efforts, fruit productivity has increased two and a half times and today Uttarakhand ranks fifth in the country in mushroom production. Dhami said that the State produces six lakh kg of green leaves and produces approximately 1.5 lakh kg of processed tea.
In his address Agriculture minister Ganesh said that unprecedented progress has been made in the fields of agriculture and horticulture in the last 25 years.
