Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday addressed farmers at Deodar in north Gujarat’s Banaskantha district on the occasion of Gujarat government’s one-month-long Krushi Mahotsav.

Ahmedabad, 10 May 2012

Chief Minister Narendra Modi today said the present rulers at the Centre have shown criminal negligence towards India’s agro-based economy.

Kicking off the Krishi Mahotsav and cattle health fair at Diyodar village of Banaskantha district today the Chief Minister said that Centre’s criminal negligence towards agriculture sector, which is the mainstay of Indian economy, has ruined the villages, farmers and farming. “The present rulers at Centre have crushed the dreams nurtured by Lalbahadur Shastri, Sardar Patel and Mahatma Gandhi for the prosperity and uplifting of villages and agriculture”, he said.

A large number of farmers and cattle-breeders including rural women from the five districts of north Gujarat thronged the Diyodar village to partake in the eighth edition of the month-long Krishi Mahotsav that began from May 6 this year. The Chief Minister lauded the farmers for putting faith in the knowledge imparted through the Krishi Mahotsav and for using scientific methods of farming along with the hard work. He felicitated the progressive farmers and their families.

Referring to the hard days of the past the Chief Minister said the farmers used to struggle hard in the scorching heat only to get little produce from the saline earth of this region. “But owing to the success of Krishi Mahotsav and the availability of Narmada water the farmers are now successfully getting high yield”, he said.

The Krishi Mahotsav has helped the farmers of north Gujarat to the crops like cultivate pomegranate and sugar-free potatoes along with the traditional crops. Even the farmers who have small portion of land have started earning lakhs of rupees by constructing greenhouse net, he said.

Chief Minister said the state government desires to boost the income levels of farmers by doing value-additions in the crops and by ensuring that the farmers get high price for their produce. “We want to put before the world an exemplary model for agricultural development”, he said.

Speaking on the occasion Agriculture Minister Dilip Sanghai said the state government organizes Krishi Mahotsav with a view to acquaint farmers with the latest research and modern methods of farming, marketing structure, value-addition etc. The programme has helped to raise the income of farmers and brought about a revolutionary change in agriculture scenario in Gujarat, he said.

Ministers Parbat Patel and Liladhar Vaghela also spoke on the occasion. State cabinet ministers Anandiben Patel, Nitin Patel, Fakirbhai Vaghela, MLAs, government officials, farmers and