Inaugurating the Pusa Krishi Vigyan Mela-2020 in Delhi, Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar has called upon agriculture graduates and scientists to be practicing farmers themselves. He exhorted them to at least get engaged in their kitchen gardens.
“Your purpose in career does not end with securing a cushy job or just remain engaged in education and research, but you should be a successful farmer in your area. Even those agriculturists retiring every year should remain involved in farming and inspire others”, Tomar underlined.
“The farmer should remain alive in you. You may engage in farming in your kitchen garden in your spare time. It will keep you connected with agriculture as a profession,” said Shri Tomar.
The Minister said India has a vast pool of agricultural scientists and specialists graduating from universities every year. “Government can provide funds, subsidies and incentives, but there has to be an interest in farming”, he lamented.
Tomar also enumerated several new initiatives taken at the behest of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. “Budgetary provision of Rs. 6,600 crore has been made to provide each FPO a sum of Rs 15 lakh for all farming related activities. Also, a Credit Guarantee Fund of Rs.1,500 crore has been created jointly by NABARD and NCDC.
He said the Ministry is in the process of organising a big conference in each of the eight zones based on geographic divisions. The Prime Minister has directed that a study on Pesticides be included as part of Agriculture curriculum, Tomar informed.
Speaking on the occasion, the MoS Parshottam Rupala called for organising such Farmers’ Fairs in every state. He urged the Agriculture Institutes and scientists to ensure that superior seeds are provided to farmers at reasonable rates.
Pointing out that the Government and the Agriculture Institutes are committed to promoting Agriculture, MoS Kailash Choudhary hoped a day will come when the farmer is no longer a borrower but becomes creditor.
At a separate function, an MoU was signed between the ICAR and Patanjali Bio Research Institute (PBRI), Haridwar in the presence of the three Ministers. The MoU was signed by Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra on behalf of ICAR and Shri Acharya Balkrishna, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Patanjali & Managing Director, PBRI.
