PM launches Kisan Channel, pitches for farmers’ growth
On the day the “Modi Sarkar” completed a year in power, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accused of being anti- farmer due to his proposed land bill, tried to send a signal to farmers launching Doordarshan’s Kisan Channel. It may be recalled that the Atal Behari Vajpayee- led NDA government had also announced the launch of an exclusive channel for farmers called Kisan TV. It was Indira Gandhi who had launched the first programme for farmers called Krishi Darshan, which has continued for several decades.
Tuesday’s launch comes as a poor crop season has hit India’s rural belt. This channel could be one of the mediums for Mr Modi to directly communicate with the nation’s farmers.
On the day “Modi sarkar” completed one year in power — Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused of being anti- farmer over his proposed land bill — the government tried to send a signal to the farmers by launching Doordarshan’s Kisan Channel. The Atal Behari Vajpayee- led NDA, with much fanfare, had also announced the launch of an exclusive channel for farmers called Kisan TV. It was Indira Gandhi who had launched the first programme for farmers called Krishi Darshan which has continued its journey for several decades. The launch comes at a time when poor crop season has hit India’s rural belt. This channel could also be one of the medium for Mr Modi to directly communicate with the farmers.
While launching the channel, the Prime Minister talked about how the channel can improve the knowledge of the farmers across the country.
The Prime Minister said the country cannot move forward without their progress and called for increase in crop productivity by 50 per cent. Mr Modi lamented that the present system had left farmers to fend for themselves and there was a need to make the sector “vibrant and dynamic”.
“Why experts from various fields, including seed, soil and fertiliser, cannot come together to help farmers and increase productivity? The farming community is a big one. And, if we have to take India forward, we will have to take the villages forward,” Mr Modi said.
Linking the issue of malnutrition with low production of pulses, he noted that the country was dependent on imports to meet its requirement of edible oil and pulses and urged the scientific community to work with farmers to ensure that there was enough production to meet the domestic demand by 2022 when India celebrates its 75 years of independence.
During his speech, the Prime Minister did not mention the contentious land bill on which his government is facing stiff opposition, including from NDA allies.
He observed that a study done over 200 years ago had shown that paddy productivity was 15- 18 tonne per hectare without the help of advanced techniques and fertilisers, while the average grain production was now only 2 tonne per hectare. The world average is 3 tonnes, he said.
Invoking former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri and his slogan “Jai Jawan Jai Kisan”, he called upon farmers and experts to use modern science to give another boost to the sector.