Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar said that the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is very sensitive towards the small farmers of the country. Shri Modi, with foresight, raised the issue of Millets in the United Nations, where the resolution of the Government of India was adopted with the support of 72 countries and as per the United Nations declaration, the year 2023 is now being celebrated under the leadership of India as the International Year of Millets. Behind this, the main objective of the government is to increase the production and productivity, processing and exports of millets, which will ultimately help the farmers of the country.
Union Minister Shri Tomar said this in Bengaluru today as the chief guest at the closing ceremony of the International Trade Fair on Millets and Organic Products. Shri Tomar said that Millets crops can be grown in less water. Millets also help in increasing the income of farmers. With the increase in the production and consumption of millets in the country, its export will also increase, which will benefit a large number of farmers. He lauded the efforts of Karnataka Government to increase the production and consumption of millets and termed the signing of MoUs worth Rs. 201 crore rupees as an important milestone. He also praised the incentives provided to the farmers of the state.
Shri Tomar said that the Center and the State Governments are running many important schemes for the welfare of the farmers including increasing their income. Farmers are being given an annual income aid of Rs. 6,000 through the Prime Minister Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) Scheme. Besides, farmers in Karnataka are being given an additional annual income support of Rs. 4,000 each. With the aim of increasing the potential of majority of small farmers, the Prime Minister Shri Modi has initiated setting up of 10,000 new Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) in the country, on which the Government of India is spending Rs. 6,865 crore. He appreciated the enthusiastic contribution in formation of new FPOs across the country as well as in Karnataka. Shri Tomar said that many programmes have been launched by the Center to make agriculture advanced and the farmers prosperous.
On the occasion, Shri Tomar gave away awards in various categories. The Union Minister of State for Chemicals & Fertilizers and New and Renewable Energy, Shri Bhagwanth Khuba, Agriculture Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Surya Pratap Singh Shahi and state Horticulture Minister Shri Dinesh Pratap Singh, besides Agriculture Minister of Karnataka, Shri B.C. Patil were present at the function.
