Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav said that the state government is fully committed to protecting the interests of agriculture and farmers. He appealed to farmers to safeguard their land under all circumstances, saying that land is like a mother and sustains livelihoods. He urged farmers not to sell their agricultural land.
Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said, assuring farmers, that whenever agricultural land is acquired for the construction of any government project, farmers will receive four times the compensation, rather than merely one or two times the applicable amount.
Chief Minister Dr. Yadav virtually addressed the Balram Krishi Mahotsav organised at Karond Mandi in Bhopal from the Mantralaya on Tuesday. He said, addressing farmers, that their fields are sacred places for the government and every grain produced through their efforts is like an offering. He assured farmers that the government stands with them and will always respect every drop of sweat they contribute to agriculture. The Chief Minister said that Balram Krishi Mahotsav is an initiative to honour farmers for their hard work, dedication and vital contribution to agriculture.
Chief Minister Dr. Yadav also interacted virtually with farmers participating in the festival. He said that farmers' happiness is like Holi and the biggest Diwali for the government and urged them to participate in the Balram Krishi Mahotsav with enthusiasm. The Chief Minister said that Balram Krishi Mahotsavs are being organised across all districts of the state. This is the 14th Balram Krishi Mahotsav organised in the state in the past 26 days. He said that a major agricultural festival would soon be organised at the state headquarters in Bhopal.
'Kavach' Scheme Strengthens Farmers' Economic Security
Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that the state government has launched the ‘Kavach’ Scheme to strengthen the economic security of farmers. The scheme has helped rectify long-standing irregularities in cooperative accounts and enabled 5,000 farmers to access loans and benefits under various schemes. The scheme also provides interest-free loans and a full 12-month repayment period.
Chief Minister Dr. Yadavb said that farmers of Madhya Pradesh are taking the state's agricultural economy to new heights through their hard work. Madhya Pradesh ranks second in the country in pulse production, second in oilseed production and third in milk production. The state ranks first in the country in organic farming and organic cotton production. He said that the government is focusing on increasing farmers' income sources, reducing the cultivation cost and enhancing production and income through technology and innovation. The state has set targets to increase irrigation capacity to 10 million hectares, expand the area under horticulture to 3 million hectares and establish 10,000 new micro food-processing units.
Farmers Urged to Adopt Crop Diversification, Horticulture and Natural Farming
Chief Minister Dr. Yadav urged farmers to adopt crop diversification, promote horticulture and natural farming, and take up animal husbandry and fisheries. He said that farming is being expanded beyond grain production by integrating it with processing, branding and marketing to create new avenues for increasing farmers’ income.
Local representatives, including MLA Shri Vishnu Khatri, Shri Tirth Singh Meena and Shri Gopal Singh Meena, Bhopal Collector Shri Priyank Mishra, other elected representatives, senior district officials and a large number of farmers were present at the Balram Krishi Mahotsav.
MLA Shri Rameshwar Sharma and Additional Chief Secretary Shri Neeraj Mandloi participated in the event from the Mantralaya.
