Farmers Play a Crucial Role in Building a Developed India: CM Sai

Agri Carnival-2024 “National Farmers’ Fair and Agricultural Exhibition” Inaugurated
Workshops and Seminars on Agricultural Exports, Modern Breeding Techniques, and Biodiversity

Raipur, October 23

Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai stated that farmers play a significant role in building a developed India. Modernizing agriculture and increasing farmers’ income is a priority of the Chhattisgarh government. He urged farmers to engage in fish farming, animal husbandry, and horticultural crops production along with paddy cultivation to increase their income. The Chief Minister was addressing the inaugural ceremony of the National Farmers’ Fair and Exhibition held at the Indira Gandhi Agricultural University campus in the capital.
The Chief Minister said that as soon as our government was formed in Chhattisgarh, on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, we transferred a bonus amount of Rs. 3716 crore to 13 lakh farmers as paddy arrears. As per our promise, we gave a price of Rs. 3100 per quintal of paddy and purchased 21 quintals of paddy per acre. Last year, 145 lakh metric tonnes of paddy was purchased. Through paddy procurement at support prices and the procurement price declared by the state government, as well as the two-year pending bonus, approximately Rs. 49 thousand crore has been transferred to the farmers’ accounts. He said that in view of the good crop in the current Kharif season, better arrangements will be made in the state for paddy procurement at support prices. Paddy procurement will start from November 14 this year. A record paddy procurement is also expected this year.
Chief Minister Shri Sai said that today, this agricultural fair and exhibition of advanced agricultural equipment is being organized to connect youth with farming and move it towards modern farming. Indira Gandhi Agricultural University has a significant contribution towards the development of new technologies in the agriculture sector and reaching them to farmers. We are continuously working to provide more and more youth with the facility of studying agriculture so that the state’s agriculture can be further improved.
During the inaugural program, 6 farmers were provided with mini kits of a new variety of masoor. Job fair-selected 6 agricultural graduate students were also offered offer letters by various companies on this occasion. On this occasion, the university’s coffee table book “Agrasar” and other farmer-friendly publications were also released by the guests. A grant amount check was also given to the young entrepreneurs of Agri Startup. Approximately 4 thousand farmer brothers and sisters and about 1 thousand students from various districts of the state participated in the Agri Carnival and obtained information about agricultural techniques through field visits and exhibitions.