Farmers Have A Bigger Role In Building A Viksit Bharat: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated projects worth Rs 42,000 crore on Saturday, aimed at transforming India’s agricultural and allied sectors.

Two major schemes, the PM Dhan Dhaanya Krishi Yojana and the Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses, were launched with an outlay of Rs 35,440 crore.

The government rolled out additional projects worth over Rs 5,450 crore across agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries, and food processing. The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for further initiatives valued at approximately Rs 815 crore.

Addressing the event, PM Modi highlighted the crucial role farmers play in building a developed India. He said, “Farmers have a bigger role in making India ‘Viksit Bharat’. India must not only be self-reliant in food, but also produce export-oriented crops for the global market.”

He added that the recent GST reduction has largely benefited rural India and farmers, noting that agricultural exports have nearly doubled in the past 11 years.

Grain production has increased by nearly 900 lakh metric tonnes, while fruit and vegetable output has risen by more than 640 lakh metric tonnes. India continues to lead globally in milk production.

Focus on Modern Techniques and Crop Diversification

The Prime Minister emphasised reforms spanning from seeds to markets and urged continuous progress in every field. He highlighted initiatives in animal husbandry, fish farming, and beekeeping, which have empowered small farmers and landless families.

Programmes like Namo Drone Didi are promoting modern techniques, including drone-assisted fertiliser and pesticide application.

PM Modi also encouraged farmers to diversify crops beyond wheat and rice, focusing on pulses to ensure protein security and reduce import dependency.

New projects include artificial insemination training centres in Bengaluru and Jammu & Kashmir, centres of excellence in Amreli and Banas, an IVF lab in Assam under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission, milk powder plants at Mehsana, Indore, and Bhilwara, and a fish feed plant at Tezpur under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana.

The event also celebrated milestones such as 50 lakh farmer memberships across 10,000 Farmer Producer Organisations, with 1,100 FPOs recording an annual turnover exceeding Rs 1 crore in 2024-25.

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