The Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar has said that when it comes to development, our vision should be all-round. “Development does not only mean building roads or houses, but it should bring about positive change in the lives of the most vulnerable sections of the society, only then there is the real development. After a long period, in the form of Shri Narendra Modi, the country has got the leadership of such a Prime Minister who has the aspiration to do something, he has the vision of ‘Shreshtha Bharat’ (India, the Best) and has the passion to make it a reality,” he said.

Shri Tomar said this at the India Sustainability Conclave. The Union Minister of State for Agriculture, Shri Kailash Choudhary was the special guest. Shri Tomar said that there is a large population in our country, so a developed India will be possible only when all the people are provided opportunity and they contribute together in this. “All should shoulder the responsibility, all march step by step, every individual, every sector contribute together in this. Human life should be devoted to the benefit of society, protecting nature, serving the nation and taking the country continuously towards excellence,” he said.

Shri Tomar said that India being an agricultural country, the role of farming is important. “If we move away from the agriculture sector, even if we have money, agricultural products will not be available. At the time of India’s Independence, the contribution of agriculture sector in GDP was fifty percent, which gradually decreased while the rest of the sectors increased, that was the situation then,” said Shri Tomar, adding, “Today we have to realise that the agriculture sector in the country is extensive and about sixty percent of the population is dependent on agriculture and the livelihood of majority of our populations is dependent on agriculture, eighty-six percent are small farmers, for whom it is necessary to adopt technology into farming, increase production quality at par with global standards and also make it a remunerative avenue.”

Shri Tomar said that today agriculture sector is being upgraded through technology like drones, Digital Agri Mission and promoting private investment etc. “During the previous governments, Agriculture did not get the required priority and the attitude towards agricultural development remained subdued, due to which the income of the farmers did not increase and adequate resources were not available to them, but now under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, farmers are being empowered,” he said.

Shri Tomar said that in the changing face of India today, Rs. 6,000 is credited every year into the bank accounts of 11-and-a-half crore farmers from the Prime Minister Kisan Samman Nidhi. “It is the largest programme in the world. So far, more than Rs 2 lakh crore has been given to the farmers, without any pilferage, the entire Rs. 6,000 is directly deposited in the bank accounts of farmers,” he said.

Shri Tomar said several concrete steps have been taken like the promotion of Agri Startups, distribution of KCC and Rs.16 lakh crore worth of short-term loans. “Even during the Covid-19 pandemic, the farmers ensured food security as India not only emerged a world leader in food production, but we were also able to supply food grains to the world while 80 crore poor people have also been given free ration by the Center,” he said.

Shri Tomar said that the farmers or the peasant should not be looked down upon, rather this skilled labour, this manpower is the biggest strength of our country.

During the programme both the ministers presented awards to the institutions and companies for their exceptional achievement.

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