Switch to organic farming, says Union agri minister
KARNAL: Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh on Saturday advised farmers against the use of pesticides and take advantage of ‘Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana’ launched by the Centre to train farmers in organic farming.
The Union minister was addressing a gathering of farmers on the occasion of Rabi Krishi Mela organisd by the ICAR-Central Soil Salinity Research Institute (CSSRI) on its 50th anniversary in Karnal.
“Due to the increasing use of pesticides in Punjab and Haryana, organic carbons and nutrients of the soil have declined resulting in a fall in the production. Now, the farmers should switch to organic farming,” he added.
He, however, blamed the successive governments for the present agriculture crisis in the country.
“The farmers are paying for their negligence of past 70 years as no appropriate initiatives were taken,” he said.
“Now Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken a decision to double income of farmers by 2022 and several schemes have been launched in this regard,” the minister said.
He also asked the farmers to shun the practice of burning of crop waste and utilise it in preparing compost for organic farming.
He, however, evaded the media queries about the countrywide protests being organised by farmers.
Earlier, the Union minister also participated in the 16th convocation at the National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, and hailed the role of NDRI scientists in increasing the milk production in the country.
He said NDRI is providing a large number of trained young professionals in dairy production, processing and management to the nation.
He said for the past 20 years, India continues to be the largest milk producer in the world due to research institutions like NDRI and in the past six years, milk production in the country increased from 121.8 million tonnes in 2010-11 to 165.4 million tonnes in 2016-17.
The minister said the government has launched ‘Rashtriya Gokul Mission” with a view to conserving and developing indigenous breeds of cattle. “20 Gokul Grams have been approved in 13 states which will act as centres for development and protection of indigenous breeds,” he added.
At the NDRI, convocation degrees were awarded to 105 PhD students, 146 post-graduate students and 27 BTech students. NDRI director RRB Singh also spoke on the occasion.
RADHA MOHAN SINGH ASKS FARMERS IN THE REGION TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ‘PARAMPARAGAT KRISHI VIKAS YOJANA’