The Central Government will take uncompromising and punitive action against those tampering with farmers’ crops through fake seeds, spurious fertilisers and counterfeit pesticides, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan said during a one day visit to Chhattisgarh. He asserted that new agricultural laws would soon be introduced in Parliament to provide a strong legal shield for farmers and ensure that those damaging their livelihoods are not spared.
Delivering a clear policy message from the ground, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the farmer and holistic rural development remain the highest priority of the Government of India. He described the sale of fake agricultural inputs as a betrayal of farmers’ trust and not merely an economic offence, stressing that strict legal action would follow against such elements.
At the start of his visit, the Union Agriculture Minister visited Girhola and Khapri villages in Durg district, where he stepped onto the field bunds and interacted directly with farmers. He inspected nurseries, standing crops and agricultural farms, and reviewed crop cycles, irrigation systems, seed production, horticulture practices and the adoption of modern agricultural technologies.
In Girhola village, Shri Chouhan planted a mango sapling, underscoring the importance of environmental conservation and green development. He said tree plantation not only protects the environment but can also become a sustainable long term income source for farmers, urging them to integrate horticulture and tree based farming with traditional agriculture.
The Minister later visited Anil Agriculture Farm in Khapri village and addressed a farmers’ chaupal, where he congratulated progressive farmers for rapidly adopting modern technologies while preserving traditional farming practices. He said farmers in Chhattisgarh are setting an inspiring example for the rest of the country by embracing innovation.
Highlighting the shift underway in the state, Shri Chouhan noted that farmers are increasingly moving from exclusive paddy cultivation towards horticulture, vegetable farming and diversified cropping. Farmers shared that horticultural crops are generating higher returns compared to paddy, prompting the Minister to describe crop diversification as the need of the hour for enhancing farm incomes.
The Union Minister briefed farmers on major central government schemes, including the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme for direct income support, the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana for protection against crop losses due to natural calamities, and the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana for boosting agricultural innovation and productivity. He said the Digital Agriculture Mission and the use of drone technology are helping in crop monitoring, pesticide spraying and reducing input costs.
Shri Chouhan identified natural farming, micro irrigation and water conservation based agriculture as the future of Indian farming and called upon farmers to adopt these practices on a large scale. He also emphasised the integration of agriculture with rural development initiatives such as the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Rural, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and the National Rural Livelihood Mission to strengthen village infrastructure, connectivity, employment and self reliance.
Reiterating the Centre’s resolve to make agriculture profitable and ensure sustained growth in farmers’ income, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that strong policy, effective laws, modern technology and farmers’ hard work would together usher in a new agricultural revolution across Chhattisgarh and the country.
The visit was attended by Chhattisgarh Home Minister Shri Vijay Sharma, Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Tribal Development Shri Ramvichar Netam, Minister for School Education Law and Public Works Shri Gajendra Yadav, Ahivara MLA Shri Doman Lal Korsewada, agricultural scientists, senior officials and a large number of farmers.
