Union Agriculture Minister announces additional ‘Krushi Vigyan Kendra’ in seven districts of Gujarat

Gandhinagar, 4 September 2014

Speaking to media persons on sideline of the national seminar on ‘Farm-Income Insurance’ in Gandhinagar today, Union Agriculture Minister Shri Radha Mohan Singh said that the central government is going to bring a new insurance scheme next year. He said that the experience of Gujarat will be helpful in this.

Singh today inaugurated the national seminar on ‘Farm-Income Insurance’ in Gandhinagar. Gujarat Chief Minister was the Chief Guest of the function. The mega national seminar on agriculture has been organized as a precursor of the forthcoming 7th edition of the Vibrant Gujarat Gobal Investors’ Summit-2015 to be held in January-2015.

Speaking at the function, the Union Agriculture Minister announced that in one year’s span an additional ‘Krushi Vigyan Kendra’ (Agricultural Science Centre) will be set up in seven districts of the Gujarat.

The Union Agriculture Minister further stated that to fulfill the dream of Pandit Dindayalji “Har Hath Ko Kaam, Har Khet Ko Pani” (Works to Every Hand, Waters for Every Farm), Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi has implemented several water harvesting schemes.

The nation’s growth ratio was never more than 5 per cent in the past. But, in last three months’ time Modi Government has taken several strategic decision as a result the growth ratio has gone up remarkably and the inflation rate which was earlier 8 %, has been brought down now, he added.

Mr. Singh also described the importance of formation of land and utilization of fertilization accordingly for yielding crops in the larger quantity. In next three year, every Indian farmer would be given soil-health card for his farm lands and new mobile testing laboratory would also be made available to them, he further added.

Praising Gujarat’s agricultural growth, Mr. Singh said the faster the growth of Gujarat, speedier would be the development of the nation. Gujarat’s agricultural growth is a role model for the farmers of rest of the country. In the final outcome the details information of Agri-Income Insurance scheme in Gujarat would provide the guidance to other state as a role model.

Speaking on the occasion, Smt. Patel termed the outcome of deliberation at the national seminar to provide an insurance cover to the sons-of-soil (farmers) on basis of their income is a beginning of new Agri-Era.

The Chief Minister said, earlier the farmers were getting insurance money on the loss incurred on their destroyed crops as result they were suffering financial losses. Despite repeated pleas made by farmers, they were not heard by the previous governments. However, the present BJP government of Mr. Modi had understood the woes of farmers and taken this vital decision in favour of the farmers to give them full insurance cover of their crops.

The Chief Minister said her government is well aware of the fact that for farmers the water is more essential for their crops than electricity, thus, state administration has strengthen the canal network of Narmada Project to supply Narmada waters to farms. For this, in last two years, 100,000 hectare of land was consensually taken from 98,000 farmers. By the next June, the works on main canals networks would be completed and sub-minor works would be initiated, she added with a conviction tone.

In his welcome address, the Minister of State for Agriculture Mr. Babubhai Bokhiriya had given details about the various schemes and intiatives undertaken by the state government in the agricultural field and their results and achievements.

The state has partly implemented iKishan portal. And now, Gujarat is organizing Global Agri Summit, every two-year, in which participants are coming from every nook and corner of the country as well as from across the world, he added.

The others who attended the inaugural function included Gujarat’s Education Minister Mr. Bhupendrasinh Chudasma, Minister of State (MoS) for Law Mr. Pradipsinh Jadeja, MoS for water resources Mr. Nanubhai Vanani, Chief Secretary Dr. Varesh Sinha, Additional Secretary to Union Agriculture Ministry Mr. Dilip Singh, other top rank officials from Union and State Governments and others.