Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav said that Damoh district has established a distinct identity in farming and agriculture over the past few years. Paying tribute to Bundelkhand, the land of valour, religion, culture and faith, Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said, “Damoh is our own place that we cannot leave behind.” The Chief Minister said that our government is working with full commitment for welfare of farmers. Increasing the income of Annadata is our primary goal. From farms to markets and from fertilisers to farmers’ accounts, we are creating firm and permanent systems. He said that every grain of foodgrain produced by farmers through their hard work is like an offering to God for us. Every grain of food is invaluable to us. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav informed farmers that registration for procurement of paddy and jowar-bajra at Minimum Support Price began on Tuesday, September 15. The process will continue till October 10.
Chief Minister Dr. Yadav was addressing the Balram Krishi Mahotsav held in Damoh district through video conferencing from Mantralaya on Tuesday. Higher Education, AYUSH and Technical Education Minister and Damoh district in-charge Minister Shri Inder Singh Parmar and Additional Chief Secretary, Chief Minister’s Office, Shri Neeraj Mandloi participated in the Balram Krishi Mahotsav through the VC held at Mantralaya.
Interacting warmly with farmers of Damoh district, Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that our government is moving shoulder to shoulder with Annadata farmers. We always stand with farmers in every happiness and sorrow. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav called upon farmers to increase their income by adopting crop diversification, new technology, innovation, horticulture, natural and organic farming, as well as cow rearing, rearing of other milch animals and fish farming.
Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that farming is being carried out over approximately 6 lakh 72 thousand hectares in Damoh. Of this, 86 percent of the agricultural area is irrigated. Damoh’s gram is famous across the country. New possibilities are also taking shape in the district in the areas of food processing and agro-products manufacturing. Along with wheat, gram and paddy, farmers are also moving towards high-value crops. More than 100 farmers have been provided free seeds and agricultural training to promote ashwagandha cultivation in Damoh district. Makhana production will also be started as an innovation in the next kharif season in Damoh district. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that animal husbandry is being rapidly promoted in Damoh. Nine new dairy cooperative societies have been registered in the district during the past one year. In the first phase of the Ksheerdhara Gram Yojana, 65 villages of the district have been selected. Under the Mukhyamantri Matsya Samriddhi Yojana, 14 clean fish parlours are being established in the district. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that the Ken-Betwa National River Linking Project is going to become a boon for Damoh district. He said that through the Jhapna Nala Medium Irrigation Project, being implemented at a cost of more than Rs 165 crore in Tendukheda, around 3,600 hectares of agricultural land in more than 17 villages of Damoh district will be irrigated. Construction work on the Satdharu Medium Irrigation Project, Parna Reservoir and Dadpur Stop Dam is being completed rapidly. Our government has set a target of increasing the area under micro-irrigation in Damoh district to 1.35 lakh hectares.
Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that to promote natural and organic farming, organic and natural farming haat markets have been started in all seven development blocks of the district. Animal husbandry, dairy and fisheries are also being developed as strong foundations of the rural economy. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that we have launched an online portal for the Kisan Credit Card for the convenience of farmers in the state. Farmer brothers can now get their credit cards made with a single click.
Chief Minister Dr. Yadav also interacted warmly with progressive farmers of Damoh district engaged in natural and organic farming, including Shri Khamman Singh Lodhi, Shri Sameer Kumar Ahirwal and Shri Ram Kureria, and gathered information about their farming and agricultural activities.
The Balram Krishi Mahotsav held in Damoh district was also addressed by local Lok Sabha MP Shri Rahul Singh Lodhi, senior MLA Shri Jayant Malaiya and MLA Shrimati Umadevi Khatik. On this occasion, District Panchayat President Shrimati Ranjita Gaurav Patel, Shri Kapil Yarde, Shri Gopal Patel, Shri Kaptan Singh Yadav, Shri Shyam Shivhare, other public representatives and a large number of farmers were present.
