Chief Minister Raghubar Das today said that in the development of the nation the contribution of the villagers, farmers and workers is a must. Addressing the Global Agriculture and Food Summit at the Khelgaon here on Thursday he said that agriculture was the soul of the nation and base of the culture and traditions. He said that all our festivals are also directly and indirectly related to the agriculture.
Das said that in Jharkhand 60-70 per cent population was dependent on agriculture. He said that the government has sanctioned sufficient funds for the development of agriculture and allied activities and framed a separate food processing policy which is focused on bottling and packaging as food processing was an important link between the farmers and urban customers.
The CM said that during the function online foundation has been laid for 50 food processing companies which will create employment for the youth and even the farmers would get right cost of their products. He said that in the year 2013-14 the agriculture growth rate was minus 4.5 per cent which has turned into a positive growth of 14 per cent which was mainly due to the hardwork of the farmers of the state. Das said that the picture of the villages did not change in the last 67 years and it was only when Prime Minister Narendra Modi took revolutionary steps to improve the condition of the farmers and a target was set to double their incomes. He said that Jharkhand was getting the benefit of double engine. He suggested that farmers should try to earn one third of income should come from agriculture another one third from animal husbandry and another one third from horticulture floriculture and solar farming. He said that farmers should do solar farming on barren land and the same would be procured by the state government through grid at Re 3 per unit.
The CM said that it is priority for the State government to ensure that the farmers are not looted by the middlemen. He said that 28 lakh farmers in the state would be given mobile phones from 2019-21 while in 2019 the premium of crop insurance would be paid by state government similar to what was done in the year 2018.
The CM said that power would reach in all homes by 2018 and by May 2019 separate feeders would be set for agriculture so that farmers can get power for six hours for agriculture works while separate feeders would be provided for house hold and industrial usages.
Earlier in his speech, Chief Secretary Sudhir Tripathi justifying the organisation of the Summit said that the State is equally blessed with different agro-climatic zones, soil quality and labourious farmers. “Why agriculture and food summit in Jharkhand? The answer is very simple. Climate, geography and natural resources present unlimited opportunity before the State to excel even in the field of agriculture. The State is doubly blessed,” said he. The CS also lauded the measures like single window for agriculture, making of soil health card, promotion of Women SHGs and providing market for perishable food produces taken during the last four years.
The two-day summit opened by Chief Minister Raghubar Das and Union Minister Radha Mohan Singh. Message of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was read by Agriculture Minister Randheer Singh who wished well the State for organising the event. Host of Ministers and officials of various Departments of the State Government were present on the occasion.
