Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, has stated that when it comes to development, our vision should be all-encompassing. "Development does not simply mean building roads or houses; it must also bring about positive change in the lives of society's most vulnerable members; only then can there be true development."
"After a long period, the country has received the leadership of such a Prime Minister in the form of Narendra Modi, who has the aspiration to do something, he has the vision of 'Shreshtha Bharat' (India, the Best) and the passion to make it a reality," he said.
This was stated by Tomar at the India Sustainability Conclave. Kailash Choudhary, Union Minister of State for Agriculture, was the special guest. According to Tomar, because our country has a large population, a developed India will be possible only if all people are given opportunities and work together to achieve it.
"Everyone should take responsibility, everyone should march step by step, every individual, every sector should contribute." "Human life should be devoted to the benefit of society, to the protection of nature, to the service of the nation, and to the continuous advancement of the country," he said.
According to Tomar, farming plays an important role in India because it is an agricultural country. "If we abandon agriculture, even if we have money, agricultural products will be unavailable." "At the time of India's independence, the agriculture sector's contribution to GDP was fifty percent, which gradually decreased while the rest of the sectors increased, that was the situation then," Tomar said.
He further added, "Today, we must recognize that the agriculture sector in the country is extensive, and approximately sixty percent of the population is dependent on agriculture and the livelihood of the majority of our populations is dependent on agriculture, eighty-six percent of whom are small farmers, for whom it is necessary to adopt technology into farming, raise production quality to global standards, and make it a remunerative avenue."
Tomar stated that the agriculture sector is being upgraded today through technology such as drones, the Digital Agri Mission, and the promotion of private investment, among other things. "During previous governments, agriculture did not receive the required priority, and attitudes toward agricultural development remained subdued, as a result of which farmers' income did not increase and adequate resources were not available to them, but now, under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, farmers are being empowered," he said.
Tomar stated that in today's changing India, Rs. 6,000 is credited annually into the bank accounts of 11-and-a-half crore farmers by Prime Minister Kisan Samman Nidhi. "It is the world's largest programme." So far, more than Rs 2 lakh crore has been given to farmers; without any pilferage, the entire Rs. 6,000 has been deposited directly into farmers' bank accounts," he said.
Tomar stated that several concrete steps have been taken, including the promotion of Agri Startups, the distribution of KCC, and the provision of Rs.16 lakh crore in short-term loans. "Even during the Covid-19 pandemic, farmers ensured food security because India not only emerged as a world leader in food production, but we were also able to supply food grains to the world, while the Center also provided free rationing to 80 crore poor people," he said.
Tomar stated that farmers and peasants should not be looked down upon, but rather that skilled labor and manpower are our country's greatest assets. During the program, both ministers presented awards to institutions and businesses for their outstanding achievements.
