14 Sep :The Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan has exhorted the farming community to adopt green house and shed net technology for optimizing farm productivity describing it as revolutionary intervention. He was addressing a two-day seminar on green house technology organized by the Department of Food processing and M.P. State Horticulture Mission at hotel lake view Ashok here today. Renowned farm and horticulture technology experts, progressive farmers are attending the seminar.
The Chief Minister described the commercial cultivation of horticulture crops and medicinal flora on a massive scale as important to make farming a profitable proposition. The state government is ready to impart requisite technical training to farmers, he added.
The Chief Minister said that bold steps have been taken to reduce the cost of farm production and ensure remunerative prices for agriculture produces to farmers. Rate of interest on crop loans has been reduced drastically from 16 to 3 percent. Bonus, apart from benefits of minimum support prices is being given to farmers. Irrigation facilities are being expanded and power supply is being improved for irrigation.
Soil Health Card
In order to promote farm production and advance farming systems, all farmers will be provided sold health cards. This will help farmers select crop varieties according to their soil health and remove deficiencies in soil.
No Agriculture Land for Industries
Shri Chouhan said that as far as possible agriculture lands will not be given to industries and for any other non-agriculture purposes. He said that efforts have been intensified to ensure 24 hour electricity supply in rural areas. Attention has been focused on increasing power generational with the feeder division works. The Chief Minster informed that the amount of subsidy given to farmers under various welfare schemes will now be deposited direct in the accounts of farmers.
Shri Chouhan informed that the state government is sensitive about marketing an processing arrangements while facilitating farm production. The efforts are being made to ensure that value addition process is taken up in the state itself to take advantage of excessive farm produce so as to improve economic prosperity of farmers. He said that the Khajuraho Global Investors’ Meet on 22 and 23rd October will draw attention of potential investors to the growth potential in food processing sector.
Minister for Food Processing Shri Kailash Vijayvargiya said that only economically empowered farmers can bring about state’s prosperity. He hoped the participating farmers would become ambassadors of knowledge on use of green technology. He said that purchasing of farm implements and other inputs from the Madhya Pradesh Agro Industries Development Corporation is not mandatory for the farmers. They are free to purchase inputs from anywhere they think they can get at lower rates.
The Principal Secretary Horticulture Shri Sevaram threw light on the objectives of the seminar. Agriculture Production Commissioner Smt. Abha Asthana, Director Horticulture Shri Rashmi Arun Shami, Joint Secretary of National Committee on Plasticultue Application in Horticulture New Delhi Shri Krish Ayengar were present.