Higher and Technical Education Minister and in-charge of Shahdol district Umashankar Gupta has said that advanced farming is the basis of development of Madhya Pradesh. State and its farmers will become prosperous if agriculture productivity is increased.
He said that Krishi Mahotsav was organised with the purpose of apprising farmers of latest farming techniques to make agriculture profitable.
Gupta was concluding a 3-day Krishi Vigyan Mela under Krishi Mahotsav at Shahdol on Monday.
Gupta said that Madhya Pradesh’s is the first State in the country, which has paid attention to advanced farming. The Minister said that Kisan Panchayat was held for the first time in Madhya Pradesh where action plans were chalked out for farmers’ progress, prosperity and development.
He said that farmers were given loans earlier at 18 per cent interest rate, but now they are being provided interest-free loans. He urged farmers of the district to learn advanced techniques of agriculture, fisheries, animal husbandry to make agriculture profitable.
MP Dalpat Singh Paraste said that farmers should undertake farming as told by agriculture scientists to make agriculture profitable. MlAs Jai Singh Marawi, Rampal Singh, Pramila Singh, district Panchayat President Kamlesh Nat and other public representatives also spoke on the occasion.
During Krishi Mahotsav, copies of khasra and khatauni were distributed to 3 lakh farmers. All farmers of the district were provided Kisan Credit Cards. Fishermen were provided Fishermen’s Credit Cards. loan-books were made available to 5000 farmers and forest right letter holder farmers were provided benefits under various schemes.
The Minister also participated in concluding function of Krishi Mahotsav of Umaria district.