Rupala was speaking after launching the 3-day Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry Food and Agritech Expo at the International Exhibition and Convention Hall in Surat. Praful Pansheriya, the state education minister, was also present at the event.
"In his first speech as Prime Minister in Parliament, Narendra Modi said that my government will be committed to the poor and rural population," Rupala said. "Since India's independence, Narendra Modi is the only prime minister who has prioritized agriculture."
During the ten years of UPA rule, the total budgetary allocation for agriculture was Rs. 1.17 lakh crores. PM Modi has deposited Rs. 2.20 lakh crore in the bank accounts of farmers across the country over the last eight years. "The agriculture sector has been allocated Rs. 1.31 lakh crore in this year's Union Budget with the goal of strengthening the agriculture sector."
"From 1947 to 2014, the total fund allocated for the fishery sector was Rs 3,680 crores," he added. Modi established this ministry as an independent entity, introducing the Pradhan Mantri Matysa Sampada Yojna and allocating Rs 20,000 crore."
The union minister also claimed that during the pandemic, when other countries' economic stability declined, India's position in economic growth rose from sixth to fifth. "Even the world had purchased Covid vaccines from us, and this was only possible because of PM Narendra Modi's leadership," he said.
According to Rupala, the world is shifting towards organic food. Modi had asked the UN to promote millet and its high nutritional value. They deliberated and declared the current year to be Millet's year. Meanwhile, the three-day expo will feature exhibitors for food and beverages, fashion, jewellery, household items, pet food, and health and beauty products.
"New technologies in the agriculture sector will also be displayed," said SGCCI president Himanshu Bodawala, "which will benefit farmers so that they can get more yield and also improve the quality of their crops."
