Surendranagar, 11 December 2014

Gujarat Chief Minister Smt. Anandiben Patel today said the state wide Krushi Kalyan Melas (Farmers’ Welfare Fairs) would become unique “Krushi Kalyan Seva Yagnas” because of handing over all the government’s assistance directly into the hands of benefiting farmers.

Speaking at the launching function of the state-wide ‘Ravi Krushi Mahotsav – Krushi Kalyan Melas’ held at Chuda in Surendranagar District, the Chief Minister had expressed a determination to give assistance-benefits worth of Rs 325-crore directly to 250,000 beneficiary farmers and tractor assistance to over 34,000 farmers in these melas.

The Melas are being jointly organized by State’s Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, and Horticulture Departments. On the occasion, the Chief Minister had distributed the assistance-cheques worth of Rs. 18-crore to the beneficiaries covering the entire Surendranagar district.

Smt. Patel said, after successfully achieving the objective of giving financial strengths to the poor and down-trodden through ‘Garib Kalyan Melas’, now we have chalked out a plan to inspire the farmers to walk towards the direction of economical growth and modern agriculture techniques through these Krushi Kalyan Melas.

With a view to encourage the women power in the field of Animal Husbandry, the Chief Minister had also described the various women empowerment schemes including Bulk Milk Cooler, Milking Machines, Milk Mandalis run by women, Housing Assistance and others of the state government.

She had also appealed to the people to make the united efforts in saving the children of Anganwadis’ from suffering of mal-nutrition.

While terming the killing of female-fetus as a social evil and a black spot on the face of the society, the Chief Minister had urged to bridge the prevalent gap in birth-ratio between girl and boy child in the society.

Smt. Patel had also inspired the women to join the state government’s abhiyaan ‘Swachh Gujarat – Swachh Bharat’ to eradicate sickness and epidemic from the roots through maintaining cleanliness and sanitation in the home by building ‘in-house toilet’.

The occasion was also graced by presence of MLAs Smt. Varshaben Doshi, Mr. Poonambhai Makwana, District Panchayat President Mr. Bachubhai Patel, District Collector Mr. K. B. Bhatt, District Development Officer Mr. J. K. Ashtik and others.

A person detained

An unidentified person who was sitting in the front row among audience at Anandiben Patel’s public function was detained by local police when he tried to shout slogans. Primary details available suggest that he was shouting about cotton prices. It is not clear whether he was farmer or not, or whether he was affiliated with any political party. He was gently asked by police to stand up and he obeyed accordingly and went with police man.