Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan today met and interacted with the farmers specially invited by the Government of India on the occasion of 76th Republic Day at Pusa Campus, New Delhi.
He stated that "Farmers are our God and serving farmers is a kind to serving God." He emphasized that the central government is making every possible effort for the empowerment and prosperity of farmers. To ensure that farmers receive fair value for their produce, crops are being procured at Minimum Support Price (MSP).
Efforts are being made to ensure that farmers get the right value for their hard work, thereby strengthening their economic condition. During interaction, highlighting the importance of modern agricultural techniques, Shri Chouhan stated that technology is being used to address farmers' issues.
Additionally, the central government is ensuring that farmers reap the maximum benefits from agriculture-related schemes. He also discussed the significance of natural farming and crop diversification, mentioning ongoing initiatives aimed at creating greater awareness among farmers so they can understand and benefit from these models.
In his address, Shri Chouhan further stressed the implementation of the "Farm to Consumer" model. The objective of this initiative is to enable farmers to directly sell their produce to consumers, reducing the role of intermediaries and ensuring maximum profits for farmers.
Republic Day signifies governance of the people, by the people, and for the people. But if, on this Republic Day, the people themselves are absent, and the farmers are not present, can it truly be called Republic Day? I thank Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for ensuring that today, on Republic Day, the farmers of our nation are part of the parade.
Agriculture is the backbone of the Indian economy and farmers are its soul and lifeblood. Without farmers, not just India, but the entire world cannot function. You can manufacture most things in factories, but can fruits, vegetables, or grains be produced there? These are grown only by farmers.
That is why I do not consider myself a minister but a servant of farmers. Serving farmers is like worshipping God for me, and it is with this spirit that the Ministry of Agriculture is working under the leadership of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
He said that the welfare of farmers is the highest priority of the Modi government. Under the Prime Minister's Shri Modi leadership, we are formulating various schemes for farmers. A prosperous India requires prosperous farmers, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare is making every possible effort in this direction.