While addressing a programme, ‘New India Manthan-Sankalp Se Siddhi’, at Kisan Bhawan on Saturday, Governor Dr KK Paul said that appropriate price for the crops grown by the farmers must be ensured to help agriculture thrive. The focus must be trained on agriculture education, agricultural research and storage and distribution of agricultural products together to take things forward, he said. The programme was organised jointly by the Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Dehradun, and the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Dehradun.
“Our resolve to create a new India can be fulfilled if special focus is given to the farmers and the agriculture,” he stressed. “Besides giving facilities to farmers, the rural economies would have to be strengthened. In the context of Uttarakhand, agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, fisheries and other such activities are significant. The Central Government, the State Governments and all the organisations engaged in welfare works would have to play an active role for the welfare of the farmers,” he said.
While sounding concerned over the yawning gap between agricultural income and non-agricultural income, Dr Paul said that it must be reduced through encouraging new techniques in agriculture.
In the hill areas, cultivation of cash crops, flowers, fruits and dry fruits need to be encouraged, he said, adding that nothing would happen unless there is a proper arrangement for storage and reaching the products to markets.
Invoking the pledge taken by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make a new India on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement, the Governor said all must work hard to emancipate the country from the curse of corruption, poverty, illiteracy and malnourishment .
He said that after independence, the first five-year plan had given special attention to agriculture. It was followed by the green revolution that started in 1968. He remembered the glorious role played by GB Pant University for Agriculture and Technology based in the State in the green revolution.
He said that the country previously reeling under acute food scarcity had started exporting food grains in the aftermath of the green revolution. “If our farmers are to prosper we will have to see that all the agencies linked to agriculture directly or indirectly must make a concerted effort,” he said.
The Governor further mentioned that the Government of India had come forward to give income security to the farmers along with food security.
“The Prime Minister has fixed the goal of doubling the income of the farmers by the year 2022. Uttarakhand Government is making all the efforts to realise the goal,” he said. Stressing on the need to focus on checking migration from the hills to the plains, he said that this is because of the declining returns from farming.
Efforts need to be made to help farmers stay put in the hills by making farming to yield more for them, Dr Paul said.