Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the Kisan Mitra AI application and honoured farmers, agricultural entrepreneurs, and agricultural scientists on the occasion of the ‘Kisan Samman Diwas’ at an event in Lucknow on Saturday.
Addressing a gathering on the occasion of Kisan Samman Diwas at Lok Bhavan, marking the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh, the Chief Minister said, “The farmers are not only dedicated to increasing the honour of Uttar Pradesh but also contributing to establishing the state as a significant part of the country’s economy.”
CM Yogi mentioned that Chaudhary Charan Singh was a freedom fighter, a good administrator and a great leader of farmers.
He quoted him and said, “India cannot become rich as long as farmers remain poor, and rural India is the real India.”
“According to Chaudhary Sahab, the path to India’s prosperity passes through the fields and barns. He believed that an aware and empowered rural population is the foundation of the largest democracy. Chaudhary Charan Singh, through various initiatives, worked to bring about positive changes in the lives of farmers during his time,” CM Yogi stated.
A short film was shown during the programme, after which the Chief Minister also released the Yash Gatha Vikas Yatra booklet. He further discussed the facilities provided to farmers by the Uttar Pradesh government during the programme.
CM Yogi said that this is the new Uttar Pradesh of New India, where farmers and their efforts are respected. He also stated that the result of their hard work is reflected in achieving a 9 per cent growth rate in agricultural development.
The Chief Minister, however, remarked that to achieve the goal of making Uttar Pradesh a trillion-dollar economy by 2027-28, in line with the vision of the Prime Minister, the current agricultural growth rate needs to triple.
CM Yogi further said that in the past nine and a half years, people have been witnesses to a changing India. For the first time, farmers were feeling that they too were part of the primary agenda of a government.
Under PM Modi’s leadership, initiatives like PM Kisan Fasal Bima, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana, MSP with one and a half times the cost, and PM Kisan Samman Nidhi have brought about significant changes in the lives of farmers, CM Yogi said.
He added further that 15 installments of this scheme have been disbursed to farmers so far. In UP alone, over Rs 60,000 crore has reached the accounts of more than 2.61 crore farmers.
Yogi said, “We can make agriculture profitable by making changes and reforms. Therefore, efforts have been made to provide additional irrigation facilities to 22-23 lakh hectares of land given the climatic condition of UP. Sugarcane farmers have received more than Rs 2.25 lakh crores in their accounts in the last six years. Direct procurement of paddy and wheat and the benefit of MSP through DBT have been provided for the first time.”
He emphasised that the government’s schemes have laid the groundwork for self-reliance, adding that programmes were also organised to promote millets (Shri Anna). Actions have been taken in natural farming to ensure that every market, agricultural science centre, and certification from universities result in higher profits for farmers. This process has been expedited through the efforts of Shri Anna, he remarked.
Yogi mentioned that the Prime Minister has also declared 2023 the ‘Year of Millets’ from the perspective of the UN International Year for international branding through the medium of Shri Ann.
The Chief Minister mentioned that the government has recently launched an application through which AI can be utilized by farmers. Now, every question of the farmers can be answered through a smartphone. Additionally, the Vikas Bharat Sankalp Yatra is going on. In some time, two crore ‘drone didi’ will be ready. Through drones, the spraying of medicine, fertilisers, and pesticides can be done on one hundred acres of farmland within an hour, CM Yogi informed.
He stated that by collectively engaging in the field of FPOs, farmers can earn significant profits through farming and food processing. Regarding the concept of warehousing, the Chief Minister mentioned that it can help farmers supply their produce to the market when the prices are favourable. For this, the construction of warehouses is being increased at every development block level through FPOs.
“Now, healthcare for Mother Earth will also be provided alongside humans. The PM Soil Health Card is an example of this initiative”, he added.
While encouraging the farmers, the CM himself narrated their development story mentioning that Virendra Singh from Raebareli achieved a wheat production of 88 quintals per hectare, Mohharam achieved 84 quintals per hectare, and Hariram from Ambedkar Nagar achieved 78 quintals per hectare of wheat production.
Similarly, Sonu Patel from Lalitpur achieved 46 quintals per hectare of gram, Rajendra Singh from Lalitpur achieved 43 quintals, and Mansaram achieved 42 quintals per hectare.
Additionally, Pramod Kumar produced 55 quintals, Bharat Singh Patel 54 quintals and Raja Singh produced 50 quintals of peas per hectare. Regarding mustard production, Radheshyam from Bareilly achieved 46 quintals per hectare, Ram Beti achieved 45 quintals, and Vijay Kumar achieved 38 quintals per hectare.
In paddy, Jairam Singh of Rae Bareli produced 110 quintals, Shatrughan Lal Yadav produced 105 quintals and Badri Prasad produced 95 quintals per hectare.
The CM also commended the work of Ramput FPO, Mirzapur’s Navchetna Agro Producer Company, and Shiva FPC from Bahraich. In horticulture, Chhotalal Maurya of Rae Bareli, Amarendra Pratap Singh of Barabanki, and Ramkaran Tiwari of Etawah were praised.
Officers doing commendable work in stubble management were also recognized. The CM said that the benefit of the experience of the successful farmers should be shared with other farmers.
Before the program at Lok Bhavan, CM Yogi Adityanath paid floral tributes to former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh’s statue and portrait on the premises of the Vidhan Bhavan on his birth anniversary.
The birth anniversary of Chaudhary Sahab, who dedicated his life to the welfare of farmers, is celebrated as Kisan Samman Diwas.
Following this, the Chief Minister gave the keys of tractors to the farmers in front of Vidhan Bhavan under Krishak Uphaar Yojana and flagged off the tractors.
During this event, Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi, Mayor Sushma Kharkwal, and ministers of the Yogi government Dr Sanjay Nishad, JPS Rathore, Girish Chand Yadav, Dinesh Pratap Singh, Balbir Singh Aulakh, Chief Secretary Durga Shankar Mishra, and others were present.
(With inputs from ANI)
