Agriculture Minister Brijmohan Agrawal here on Wednesday handed over the citation, shield and a cheque worth `1 crore received from the Central Government as Rashtriya Krishi Karman Award to Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh.
The Chief Minister on the occasion congratulated and extended best wishes to the two farmers-Sushila Gabel of Janjgir — Champa district and Bholaram Sahu of Dhamtari district — who, along with the state, have received awards including `1 lakh each and citation from the Government of India in personal category, for highest paddy cultivation in the State.
The Chief Minister said, “It is a significant achievement for us, especially for the hard working farmers of the State to get the Rashtriya Krishi Karman Award from Central Government for the second time in a short span of less than three years. It is the honour of hard work of the farmers of the state and their sweat.”
For this achievement, the Chief Minister, along with the farmers, congratulated the State Agriculture Minister Agrawal and all the officers and employees of Agriculture department.
Assembly speaker Gaurishankar Agrawal, leader of the opposition TS Singhdeo, Agriculture Production Commissioner Ajay Singh, director agriculture PR Kridutt and other senior officers were present on the occasion.
President Pranab Mukherjee presented this award to the state on February 10 at the Agroforestry World Congress held at New Delhi for highest paddy production in the year 2012-13. On behalf of the State Government Agriculture minister Brijmohan Agrawal received the award from the President.
On the occasion, the President decorated two farmers of the State-Sushila Gabhel of Janjgir-Champa district and Bholaram Sahu of Dhamtari district-for highest production of paddy, with Agriculture Minister-Krishi Karman Puraskar of the Union Agriculture Ministry.
On returning from Delhi, Agriculture Minister Agrawal gave information about the award function to the Chief Minister and Assembly speaker at the Assembly.