UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday reiterated his government’s resolve to double the income of farmers. He launched an initiative called ‘Kisan Kalyan Mission’, dedicated to the farmers’ welfare and growth.
Kick-starting the programme from Dadupur village in Sarojininagar block of Lucknow, the CM hit out at the previous governments for being apathetic to the problems of farmers and listed a slew of pro-farmer schemes implemented by the Central and UP government for overall welfare of the farmers.
Regretting that lakhs of farmers lost their lives from 2004 to 2014 in the country due to the callous attitude of the previous dispensations, the CM said: “Lakhs of farmers committed suicide between 2004 and 2014 because no one was there to take care of them. After our government came to power, the farmers are using new farm technologies and are on the path to progress.”
“Atmahatya se aamdani (from suicide to income) has been the motto of the Uttar Pradesh government for the farmers and it is being manifested by scores of schemes for them,” he said, adding: “Had the growth in farm sector taken place in the last 70 years, the Modi government would not have required to take up the task of doubling the income of farmers in the last six years.”
Invoking the ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’ slogan, the CM said the farmers remained marginalised owing to the politically-motivated approach of the previous governments, mainly of Congress.
“The farmers have got the benefits of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policies and schemes. Modi worked for the welfare of farmers and introduced PM Crop Insurance policy, wherein farmers can easily apply for the damages caused by animals and get insurance cover,” Yogi said.
The CM said it was to the credit of Modi that he implemented recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission after coming to power. “Every year, a sum of Rs 6,000 is being sent into the accounts of 2.30 crore farmers of UP and the smile on the faces of farmers tells the story of India’s prosperity,” he said while asserting that both the Centre and UP government are committed to doing their best for farmers.
He pointed out that in 2017, the first Cabinet decision was taken to waive farm loans to the tune of Rs 36,000 crore, benefitting about 86 lakh farmers. Complimenting the Jal Shakti department for taking forward the pro-farmer agenda of the government, he said the government is working on other major programmes for the benefit of farmers.
“When our farmers are happy, the country will be happy. The goal is to make farmers aware of the government’s plans related to farming, animal husbandry and agriculture. In this sequence, farmers’ welfare centres are being run by our government to provide all facilities to farmers at one place,” he explained.
Hitting out at the opposition, Yogi said: “When the country is making rapid progress, many people do not like it. This is the first time when vaccination programmes are being run for diseases like brucellosis of the cattle. As many as 2,35,00,000 farmers of UP are getting the benefits of PM Krishi Samman Yojana even as many states do not have such a big population.”
Laying emphasis on proper marketing mechanism of farm produce, he said: “If the godowns are built at village panchayat level, the crops can easily reach the market on time.”
Summing up with a word of advice for the farmers, the CM said: “Ignore the misleading and misinformation campaign by some elements in furtherance to their ulterior political interests.”
Under the ‘Kisan Kalyan Mission’, various programmes have been organised for the well-being of farmers, such as exhibitions of agriculture and associate sectors, including the products of livelihood missions and MSME sector units Meetings on a regular basis will be organised for the farmers in which scientists, progressive farmers, and workers associated with the Agriculture department will explain scientific farming. They will also provide information about the schemes of the government. Also, farmers will be benefitted from various schemes of the agriculture department.
Under this programme, the UP government also felicitated 100 progressive farmers from all 75 districts of the state. The Agriculture department selected these farmers as role models for local farmers from every district who will inspire the local farmers by sharing their success stories. Their databases will also be prepared by the government. On Wednesday, the ‘Kisan Kalyan Mission’ programme was organised in 303 out of 825 blocks. The programme in 303 and 219 blocks is scheduled to be held on January 13 and 21 respectively. Under this mission, farmers of every block will be given the benefit of ‘Krishak Uphar Yojana’. The programme will conclude on the occasion of ‘UP Diwas’, January 24.