Farmers in UP to be active partners in state’s development, not just be beneficiaries of schemes: CM Yogi

Lucknow : Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that farmers in Uttar Pradesh will not just be beneficiaries of government schemes, but active partners in the state’s overall development. He added, “In the new Uttar Pradesh of a new India, farming will not just be a means of livelihood but a foundation for prosperity and self-reliance.”

During a review meeting of the Agriculture Department on Sunday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath discussed the current status of the agriculture sector and said that while Uttar Pradesh accounts for 11.41% of the country’s total agricultural land, it contributes 20.89% to national food grain production. “This reflects the hard work of the state’s farmers and the success of the government’s effective policies,” he added.

The CM highlighted the significant rise in food grain production in Uttar Pradesh. He said that in 2016–17, the total food grain output was 557.46 lakh metric tonnes, which has now increased to over 725.12 lakh metric tonnes in 2024–25.

There has also been more than a twofold rise in the production of pulses and oilseeds during the same period. Calling it a major achievement, the Chief Minister expressed his commitment to “taking this success to even greater heights.”

Emphasizing seed quality, the Chief Minister directed officials to develop climate-specific seeds for early and late sowing seasons. These seeds should be properly certified and offered to farmers at subsidized rates, he stated.

He also instructed the Uttar Pradesh Seed Development Corporation to increase payments to farmers for seed purchases and ensure the availability of processed seeds.

The CM directed officials to immediately start the establishment of the proposed Chaudhary Charan Singh Seed Park in Lucknow, describing it as “a foundation for revolution in the seed sector.”

Expressing the need for maximum use of institutions like Uttar Pradesh Agricultural Research Council, the Chief Minister called for accelerating technology-based agricultural innovations. To further ensure fairness in farm equipment distribution, he stressed transparency in the subsidy process.

He emphasized the need for widespread awareness before inviting applications and stressed that priority should be given to covering farmers in as many development blocks as possible.

The Chief Minister also spoke for the promotion of “Shri Anna” (millets) and called for stronger procurement systems. He underlined the importance of promoting natural farming and insisted on building a robust certification process for organic produce so farmers can earn better market prices.

It was shared during the meeting that over 2.81 crore farmers have benefitted from the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana so far. CM Yogi called it a “living example of transparency and good governance in farmer welfare.”