Gujarat CM addresses national convention of BKS at Jaipur

Gandhinagar

Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel today said that pro-farmer policies and multilateral planning of the last 15 years has turned this once a drought-prone state into an agriculturally advanced state revolution and attain double-digit growth.

Addressing the national convention of Bharatiya Kisan Sangh at Jaipur in Rajasthan, she spoke on how her state vigorously pursued a wide range of initiatives to realize the fruits of Green Revolution.

She recalled how an army of agricultural scientists and officials fanned out to the doorsteps of farmers during the statewide Krishi Mahotsav launched in 2004-05 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he was the Chief Minister which was followed-up every year.

Agricultural tools and assistance worth Rs.45-crore were distributed to three-lakh farmers out of total eight lakh farmers who participated in the Krishi Mahotsav in 2015 alone. The scientists explained the best farm practices to farmers. The state government held over 1,700 medical camps and provided free treatment to 18-lakh cattle in this unique lab2farm initiative, she said.

While the Krishi Mahotsav is held just before the kharif season, she said the government started one for rabi season also since 2014, distributing tools and assistance worth Rs.61.33-crore to 2.75-lakh beneficiary in all the 233 talukas in the state, including 16,700 farmers on the spot.

Mrs. Patel said that soil health cards issued to 90-lakh farmers to choose the right crop as per soil and weather condition, optimum utilization of seed, fertilizers and water from the Narmada canal-based and drip irrigation with the mantra of ‘Per Drop; More Crop’, three-phase 24×7 power supply and other measures helped Green Revolution. As part of the government’s disaster assistance scheme, she said Rs.6,807-crore were disbursed to one lakh farmers as compensation for unseasonal rains.

Even as women comprised 90 percent of dairy farmers, she said women’s empowerment has been Gujarat Government’s major focus area, providing assistance in the form of land and cash for milk chilling plants to women’s milk cooperative societies.

As a daughter of a farmer, Mrs. Patel said she understood the problems and aspirations of farmers. She hoped organic farming and use of non-conventional renewable source of energy would be the future of the farm sector.

A video on Gujarat’s Agricultural Growth, depicting the schemes and success stories, was presented to the farmer-delegates on the occasion.

Others present at the convention included Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and Union Minister of State Rajyavardhan Rathore, among others.

– Information