Scientists' direct interaction with farmers will spark new revolution: U.P. CM
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday said the state government has decided to take research of the scientists from laboratory to the agriculture field under Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan.
'The scientists working in laboratories, agricultural universities, and Krishi Vigyan Kendras will go into the fields to work directly with farmers and help tackle agricultural challenges,' he said while launching the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan in the state here.
'The agricultural scientists will not only carry out research in laboratories but will also visit farms and interact with farmers. This will lead to a new revolution in the agriculture sector. The work being done in research centres should be clearly visible on the ground,' the CM said. The campaign will run from May 29 to June 12.
'The unpredictable weather can affect production. Good seeds planted on time can yield good crop but even a month's delay can reduce output by up to 30%. It is important to spread awareness among farmers to ensure they get the right seeds at the right time,' Yogi added.
'To bridge the gap between farmers in west U.P. and other regions, the state government has expanded ₹4,000 crore World Bank-funded project to 28 districts in the Purvanchal, Bundelkhand, and Vindhya regions,' the CM added.
He expressed gratitude to PM Narendra Modi and Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for initiating the important step. 'Agriculture will be the foundation for realising PM Modi's vision of a developed India. Agricultural scientists, officials of the agriculture department, and farmers involved in horticulture, farming, dairy and fisheries will provide modern information about farming,' he said.
'As part of this innovative initiative, scientists will study the climatic zones based on geographical and social conditions and will also inform farmers about how early and late seed varieties affect production,' Yogi added.
'In the past eight years, the double-engine government in Uttar Pradesh has actively worked to improve the lives of farmers. The state has immense potential in agriculture as it holds about 10%–11% of the country's cultivable land but contributes around 22%–23% of India's total food grain production,' he said.
Lashing out at the previous governments, the CM said the farmers were never a priority on their agenda. 'Agriculture is top priority on PM Modi's agenda. Over the past 11 years, the agriculture sector in India has seen major changes,' the CM said.
'The farmers are being connected with modern technology. In 2014–15, wheat prices was below ₹1,000 per quintal, but today the MSP is ₹2,425. Some farmers have even sold wheat for ₹2,800 per quintal in the market. It is a clear evidence of the positive changes in farmers' lives,' Yogi said.
'The irrigation facilities have significantly improved in Uttar Pradesh. Over 15 lakh farmers have received free connections for their individual tube wells. The state government deposits ₹2,500 crore each year to support the scheme,' he added.
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