Shri Radha Mohan Singh inaugurates Kisan Mela

26^th February, 2019, Cuttack

Shri Radha Mohan Singh, Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare inaugurated the Kisan Mela organized at the ICAR-National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack today.

 

Shri Radha Mohan Singh accentuated the central government’s commitment of achieving the goal of doubling farmers’ income by the Year - 2022. The Minister also discussed about the various achievements of the government’s flagship schemes to the agriculture and allied sectors. In his address, he also gave an account of several farmers’ beneficiary schemes like e-NAM, MSP, RKVY, NFSM, NHM, PMKSY, PMFBY etc., which are benefiting millions of farmers across the country. The Minister fundamentally accentuated on villages and farmers’ development for achieving the goal of inclusive national development.

The Guest of Honor, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship accentuated the functional and technical linkage between Agriculture and Petroleum Ministries. The Minister opined on using the major portion of agricultural wastes to generate energy. He mentioned that such initiative would be a significant move for augmenting the farmers’ income and will help to make India independent in the energy sector.

 

Earlier, Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra, Secretary (DARE) & DG (ICAR) welcomed the Union Ministers and other dignitaries. Dr. Mohapatra underlined the ICAR’s various research achievements to achieve the national food and nutritional security and bring the prosperity and economic security to our farming communities.

The Union Ministers also jointly inaugurated the newly built ‘Central Genomics and Quality Laboratory’ of the institute, a first of its kind in the country. They dedicated the Laboratory to the farmers of the nation.

The several public amenities like Arunodyoy Post Office, Cuttack Railway Station, foundation stones laying ceremony of ICAR-CIWA Guest House and Sishu Sadan at K.G. National Memorial Trust, Satyabhamapur, etc., were also jointly inaugurated by the Union Ministers. On the occasion, the extension of one train and new stoppages of two trains through the e-Plaques were also announced by the Union Ministers.

Over 20 Divyangs were also distributed the aids and appliances by the Union Minister as a CSR initiative by ONGC.

The Union Ministers also felicitated the 10 best farmers and farmwomen for using the innovative practices in farming to double up their farm income.

The “Agricultural Exhibition” organized during the occasion registered the total participation by over 40 private and public organizations for demonstrating and making aware the uses about the various latest and cost effective agricultural technologies, innovations in agricultural sciences, farm machineries etc.

The occasion also held a “Farmer-Scientist Interaction/Kisan Gosthi” that provided the farmers with the opportunity to discuss about the farming related problems with the scientists.

A visit to the experimental farm and Oryza Museum of the Institute was also organized during the occasion. During this, the scientists introduced the new techniques of rice-based farming to the farmers.

The Mela registered a total footfall by over 4,000 farmers and farm women, scientists and senior officials from ICAR, OUAT, KVKs, state line departments and exhibitors.

Dr. Himanshu Pathak, Director of the Institute delivered the formal vote of thanks.

(Source: ICAR-National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack)