Inaugural Session of Western Regional Conference

• Double-engine government working with the goal of making farmers self-reliant
• Agriculture roadmap prepared in the state under the leadership of the Chief Minister
• Innovations will be shared through the conference, agriculture will get a new direction
• Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan
• Farmers should adopt a scientific approach instead of traditional methods
• Rajasthan is reaching new heights in agriculture
• Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma

Jaipur, April 2026: Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that agriculture is the backbone of India and farmers are the soul of the country. The Central Government is working rapidly towards the goal of making agriculture self-reliant by increasing farmers’ income and improving their standard of living. He praised the innovations being carried out in the agriculture sector in Rajasthan and said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, a roadmap for agriculture has been prepared in the state. Chouhan also urged other states to follow this innovation.

Chouhan addressed the inaugural session of the Western Regional Conference held in Jaipur on Tuesday. He said that considering the geographical diversity of the country, regional agriculture conferences are being organized under the guidance of the Prime Minister. In this sequence, the first regional agriculture conference has been started from Rajasthan. He thanked for organizing this important conference related to agriculture in Rajasthan. He said that Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Goa and Rajasthan are participating in this conference, and it will provide a platform to understand the needs, challenges and possibilities of the agriculture sector. Along with this, innovations and coordination among states will be shared, giving a new direction to agriculture.

Use of diversification and integrated farming system techniques in agriculture

The Union Minister said that the Central Government has set three major goals for the agriculture sector. First, to ensure the country’s food security and strengthen the vision of a self-reliant India. Second, to increase farmers’ income and improve their standard of living. Third, to ensure nutritional security along with food security. For this, work is being done through initiatives such as increasing production, diversification of agriculture and integrated farming systems to provide nutritious food.

Ensure 100 percent registration of farmers under State Farmer ID

Chouhan said that all states should work in mission mode to ensure 100 percent registration of farmers under the Farmer ID so that they can quickly receive the benefits of schemes. To protect farmers from risks arising due to natural disasters, the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana is being implemented. He said that crop damage should be assessed quickly so that farmers can receive insurance benefits promptly.

Flexibility in funds for states under central agriculture schemes

Chouhan said that the Central Government has decided to provide flexibility in funds to states under agriculture schemes based on their geographical conditions for better implementation. He also urged states to effectively use the allocated agriculture budget and ensure timely procurement of crops at MSP so that farmers get relief. He said that all states should organize the Developed Agriculture Resolution Campaign with full support from the Central Government.

‘GRAM’ initiative a good step, Centre will send expert teams

The Union Minister said that considering the potential of agriculture in Rajasthan, an initiative has been taken to prepare an agriculture roadmap, and other states should take inspiration from it. The Central Government will send a team of agricultural scientists to further strengthen this roadmap. He added that the state government will organize the Global Rajasthan Agritech Meet (GRAM), for which the Centre will send experts, officials and scientists.

Farmers will benefit from Global Rajasthan Agritech Meet

Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi believes farmers are the foundation of the country and development will come from villages and fields. He said that the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi has been increased with sensitivity towards farmers, and the state government has added ₹3,000 to make it ₹9,000. He said that the Global Rajasthan Agritech Meet-2026 will be organized in May to make the state a leader in agricultural exports, bringing together experts, scientists and technical professionals from India and abroad.

The Chief Minister thanked the Union Agriculture Minister for organizing the first Western Regional Conference in Rajasthan and expressed confidence that discussions in the conference will give a new direction to the future of agriculture. Topics like agricultural production, water management, crop protection, digital agriculture, natural farming and increasing farmers’ income will be discussed, which will be beneficial especially for farmers of Rajasthan.

Historic increase in agriculture budget

The Chief Minister said that the double-engine government is continuously working for farmers’ welfare. Under the Developed Rajasthan 2047 plan, crop-wise targets have been set. The agriculture budget has been increased by 34 percent with an allocation of ₹1,19,408 crore for 2026–27. He said Rajasthan ranks first in products like millet, mustard and isabgol, and efforts will be made to increase their value through processing units. Focus is also being given to increasing milk production. He said Rajasthan is reaching new heights in agriculture.

He also highlighted major irrigation and drinking water projects like Ram Jal Setu Link Project, Yamuna agreement, INGP, Gang Canal and Som-Kamla-Amba projects.

The Chief Minister emphasized that farmers should adopt scientific approaches instead of traditional methods to make agriculture more profitable. He urged adoption of modern techniques, sprinkler irrigation, and inclusion of modern crops. He also expressed concern over excessive use of chemical fertilizers and appealed for balanced use based on soil health cards. He stressed integrating livestock with agriculture to increase natural manure availability and reduce costs.

More work done in 25 months compared to previous government’s five years

The Chief Minister said that the current government has done more work in 25 months compared to the previous government. He stated that 35,368 farm ponds were constructed in 25 months compared to 8,152 by the previous government in the same period. Similarly, ₹303 crore subsidy was provided for farm ponds, compared to ₹48 crore earlier. He added that work in fencing, shade net houses, ownership card distribution, diggi construction, and support to gaushalas has been significantly higher.

The event was attended by Union Minister of State for Agriculture Bhagirath Choudhary, Agriculture Minister Kirori Lal Meena, Madhya Pradesh Agriculture Minister Aidal Singh Kansana, Gujarat Minister Rameshbhai Katara, Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharne, Goa Minister Subhash Phal Dessai, Chief Secretary V. Srinivas, Union Agriculture Secretary Atish Chandra, ICAR Director General Dr. M.L. Jat, along with officials, experts and a large number of farmers.