‘Govt to help farmers double income by 2022’
Seven progressive farmers each in every block will narrate their success stories at the workshops trying to motivate and inspire their fellow farmers of the area SURYA PRATAP SHAHI , Agriculture minister
LUCKNOW: In an outreach to farmers, the Yogi Adityanath government will organise ‘kisan kalyan karyashalas’ (farmer welfare workshops) in all the 851 development block headquarters and 79 agriculture science centres across the state on Wednesday, agriculture minister Surya Pratap Shahi said.
Addressing media persons here on Tuesday, Shahi said, “The farmer welfare workshops that we are organising at grassroot levels is a part of our government’s bid to help farmers double their income by 2022.”
Local ministers, MPs and MLAs have been asked to remain present at the workshops while Shahi himself will attend one such programme at the Bagra block headquarters under Muzaffarnagar district in west UP.
Shahi said more than 500 agriculture scientists would be available at the workshops to educate farmers on scientific methods of farming to get maximum output with minimum input in terms of use of water, seeds, pesticides, and fertilisers.
He said government departments like animal husbandry, dairy development, fisheries and cooperatives, besides agriculture, would participate in the workshops and inform farmers about various welfare schemes being run for them.
“Seven progressive farmers each in every block will narrate their success stories at the workshops to motivate and inspire their fellow farmers,” Shahi said, adding that the lead farmers, of whom one would be from the Scheduled Caste and one woman, would be honoured too.
Shahi said 30 lakh soil health cards were distributed to farmers as part of a drive in March and April and the remaining cards would be reimbursed at the Wednesday’s camps.
The workshops are a part of Modi government’s nationwide ongoing Gram Swaraj Abhiyan that the BJP sees a tool to reach out to farmers, especially the SCs and STs. The campaign began on April 14, the birth anniversary of dalit icon Dr BR Ambedkar, and will conclude on May 5.