CM Sai inaugurates Agri Carnival at IGKV

 

 

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai emphasized the crucial role of farmers in building a developed India, stating that modernising agriculture and increasing farmers’ income are top priorities for the Chhattisgarh government. He urged farmers to diversify their income sources by engaging in fisheries, animal husbandry, and horticulture in addition to traditional paddy cultivation at the inaugural ceremony of the National Agriculture Fair and Exhibition held at the Indira Gandhi Agricultural University campus.

 

The Chief Minister highlighted that upon taking office, his government transferred Rs 3,716 crore in paddy due bonuses to 13 lakh farmers on the birthday of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to purchasing paddy at Rs 3,100 per quintal and noted that last year, 145 lakh metric tonnes of paddy were procured. Approximately Rs 49,000 crore has been credited to farmers’ accounts through these purchases and bonuses over the last two years. With the current Kharif season yielding good harvests, he assured farmers that optimal arrangements for paddy procurement at support prices would be in place, starting from November 14. Record procurement levels are anticipated this year. During the inaugural program, mini kits of a new lentil variety were distributed to six farmers, and six agriculture graduates selected from a job fair at the Agri Carnival received offer letters from various companies.

 

The university’s coffee table book ‘Agrasar,’ along with other farmer-friendly publications, was released by the guests. Additionally, young entrepreneurs in agricultural startups were presented with grant checks. The Agri Carnival attracted approximately 4,000 farmers and 1,000 students from various districts, who learned about agricultural techniques through field visits and exhibitions. On the second day of the four-day Agri Carnival 2024, themed “National Farmers Fair and Agricultural Exhibition,” seminars and workshops were conducted, including a seminar on “Export of Agricultural Products from Chhattisgarh,” and a workshop on “Modern Plant Breeding Techniques and Data Analysis.” The workshop on plant breeding techniques was inaugurated by Dr Girish Chandel, Vice Chancellor of the Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, with Dr S K Katiyar, Program Head of the East Africa International Rice Breeding Program, as a special guest.