The three-day Pusa Krishi Vigyan Mela, organized by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), was inaugurated today by the Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar in New Delhi today.
Along with thousands of farmers, scientists and startup entrepreneurs are participating in the fair. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Tomar said that Shree Anna is being widely promoted throughout the world through the International Year of Millets, with which Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi aims to empower the Small Farmers, who constitute 86 percent of farmers in the country.
Even while he is occupied all the time as the Prime Minister, Shri Modi is concerned about the welfare of these small farmers living in the villages. Millets are grown by these very small farmers.In order to make them prosperous, the Prime Minister has bestowed Millets with their pride of place by naming them as “Shree Anna” and has also planned several programs.
Chief Guest Union Minister Shri Tomar said that the International Year of Millets is the result of Prime Minister Shri Modi's efforts in the all-round interest of small farmers, he himself had sent a proposal to the United Nations on behalf of the Government of India to declare 2023 as the International Year of Millets.
Prime Minister Shri Modi will formally launch the International Year of Millets at a grand function to be held in Delhi on March 18, 2023, in which scientists, other representatives and ministers from many countries will participate.
Praising the theme of the Pusa Krishi Vigyan Mela, - ‘Shree Anna’, Shri Tomar said that farmers will get a lot of benefits through this fair as well. Shri Tomar said that this time the G-20 is chaired by India under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Modi and he has kept its theme – “One Earth, One Family, One Future”.
With the vision of the Prime Minister, India is moving towards providing leadership to the world. He said that India is agriculture-oriented, the more the farmer will progress, the country will progress as much as it will be prosperous. If India is to develop then we have to empower the farmers.
Shri Tomar said that due to the hard work of farmers, efficiency of scientists and farmer-friendly policies of the government, our agriculture is at the top in the world. There is abundant production in food grains and horticulture and allied sectors in the country and India is emerging in the leading position in every field.
He expressed the hope that everyone will work together in the future to make our country's agriculture more advanced. It is everyone's collective responsibility to face and solve the challenges facing the Agriculture sector.
Appreciating the contribution of scientists of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), its Institutes and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) for the progress of the Agriculture sector, he said that farmers adopted their research in farming, due to which the quality of agricultural products improved and the country's economy is also getting its benefit.
India's credibility is increasing on the political stage of the world, giving rise to expectations from us, in such a situation the responsibility of all of us increases further. Today the scenario of India has changed, now India is not an importing nation, rather the world expects cooperation from us.
Union Minister Shri Tomar said that for the upgradation of agriculture and the welfare of farmers, the Modi Government has launched many important schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, 10,000 new Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), Agriculture Infrastructure Fund worth Rs 1 lakh crore. He also stressed on facing together and resolving the challenges of climate change.
Shri Tomar gave away awards to Progressive dedicated farmers and released publications. Thematic exhibitions of major technologies have been set up in the fair, while stalls of research institutes, startups and entrepreneurs have also been set up, which Shri Tomar visited, along with the fields of Pusa Institute.
Live demonstrations of important varieties of wheat, mustard, gram, vegetables, flowers, fruits have been done in the fair. There are also stalls of farmers, entrepreneurs, input agencies, while farmer counseling stalls are helping farmers solve their problems.
Director General of ICAR and Secretary of DARE, Dr. Himanshu Pathak, Director of IARI, Dr. A.K. Singh, Dr. Ravindra Padaria along with other officers, scientists and a large number of farmers were present.