CM Rawat felicitated 18 progressive farmers for their contribution in farming organised by Bhartiya Krishi and Khadya Parishad and Bharitya Kisan Sangh at ONGC auditorium. On this occasion, Prof BS Bisht was nominated as chairman of Rajya Krishi Parishad. Awebsite and information booklet of the Parishad was also launched at the occasion.
Chief Minister commended the ICFA and AIFA for felicitating the farmers and said it is a good initiative to further connect farmers with agriculture and termed the experiment as innovative. He said that such programs will help in creating awareness towards agriculture and farming.
Mr. Rawat also said that growth centers were being developed in the interiors which laid stress on and traditional produce, natural fruits and processing, marketing, readymade garments, LED bulb production. Investment, subsidy and relaxation in transport was also being considered in these growth centers, so that the villagers could benefit. He said by opening readymade garments and LED production centers, rural areas would become centers of economic activities.
CM further said, “Our effort is to stop the migration from the villages and for that they were working on one policy”, while adding that “We need to make sure that our products meet highest professional standards.”
Speaking on the occasion, State Agriculture Minister, Mr. Subodh Uniyal said that state government has laid special focus on agriculture development in the state. There had been a hike of 14 percent in budget and work is on to construct 10,000 clusters to develop Uttarakhand as organic state and 5,00,000 farmers would become part of it. Uniyal said that it would be helpful to increase the income of farmers by 2022, and to check migration. He said that Chief Minister has taken more than 70 decisions for welfare of farmers in the state. He said efforts are on to develop Uttarakhand like Himachal Pradesh in the field of agriculture, agriculture officers were instructed to hold monthly “Chaupal” (public meeting) for the welfare of farmers.
Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation director Dr PK Mishra, ICFA chairman Dr MJ Khan, ICFA director Mamta Jain, Birla Institute of Applied Sciences director Dr BS Bisht, ONGC executive director and chief employee relation Alok Mishra etc. were present.
