Farmers & agri-entrepreneurs converge at Mathura

[Highlights]

♦ Farmers from 18 states and entrepreneurs from various fields like horticulture, agriculture, livestock, dairy, fisheries demonstrated & sold their products at the 4 days fair

♦ Union Agriculture Minister inaugurated an eco-friendly sewerage treatment plant of 75,000 liters capacity developed by IARI using indigenous technology

New Delhi: Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister, Mr Radha Mohan Singh addressed the inaugural function of four-day ‘Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Centenary Krishi Unnati Mela’ organized by National Horticulture Board of Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Ministry in Mathura.

Mr Singh mentioned that the government is committed to the development and welfare of the farmers and is rubbing shoulders with them under the guidance of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. “The government is trying to make farmers economically stabile and increase their income by 2022 through various schemes like Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Soil Health Card Scheme, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana, National Agriculture Development Programme, Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana launched in the last three years,” he said.

The farmers from 18 states and the entrepreneurs from various fields like horticulture, agriculture, livestock, dairy, fisheries etc. demonstrated and sold their products at the fair. What made the fair more significant is the fact that it is being organized to mark the Birth Centenary Celebrations of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay who desired for farmers’ prosperity and welfare. Keeping his ideology under consideration, the Minister said that it is striving for the welfare and growth of the farmers.

Minister further said that horticulture helps farmers in earning a profit and creating self-employment opportunities. The country has witnessed higher horticultural production than food grains which is contributing to nutrition security of the country. Apart from this, horticultural plays a significant role in the changing climate scenario.

Mr Singh suggested that the horticulture sector should adopt improved techniques used by developed nations. The farmers should use sophisticated techniques and machinery used by the developed nations to grow horticultural crops of international standards. The Government organizes demonstrations of sophisticated machines and technologies to encourage farmers to use the equipment and giving subsidy for the same.

On the occasion, the Union Agriculture Minister inaugurated an eco-friendly sewerage treatment plant of 75,000 liters capacity, developed by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute using indigenous technology. Wastewater (sewage water) will be recycled at the plant and will be reused for irrigation. This treatment will reduce 75 to 85 percent heavy metal pollution from the wastewater and such treated water is used for irrigation. The use of treated water for wheat and paddy cultivation helps in reducing the health risks by 44 to 58 percent.