Kailash Choudhary, Union Minister of State for Agriculture, was the special guest. On this occasion, Tomar stated that the government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is constantly working to improve the agriculture sector through various schemes.
Students and youth involved in agriculture should also contribute to bringing more benefits to the country's agriculture sector and making villages more prosperous. Tomar also announced the addition of 60 seats to NIAM and the elimination of the requirement to stay in a hostel. Union Minister Tomar stated that the agriculture sector is important and that everyone's interest in it should grow, that youth should be drawn to it, and that it is all of our responsibility.
There is a livelihood in agriculture, but there is also patriotism among farmers, because without agriculture production, everything comes to a halt. There are numerous challenges in the agriculture sector that the Central Government is successfully addressing with the help of technology and the cooperation of the states. Many challenges, such as shifting to more profitable crops, crop diversification, and eliminating middlemen in the sale of produce, are being addressed strategically.
Tomar stated that scientists have done a lot of work in the agriculture sector, and that due to the farmer-friendly policies of the government, there has been unprecedented progress in agriculture. In terms of most agricultural products, India currently ranks first or second in the world, and we should all work together to make it a leader. The world has high expectations of Indian food grains, which we are meeting and will continue to meet in the future. Agricultural research is a continuous endeavour, with no respite in the hard work of farmers or government efforts. Jobs are necessary for survival, but it is also necessary to improve the agriculture sector, as it employs 56 percent of the country's population.
According to Tomar, Prime Minister Modi is constantly emphasizing the importance of not only making the present beautiful, but also making India a developed nation by the time we celebrate the centennial of India's independence, describing this as a golden and historic opportunity for India. It is the responsibility of the next generation to capitalise on this opportunity. The country's future in 2047 should be such that India becomes the world's torchlight. Under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, programmes and schemes in this area are constantly evolving.
The Union Minister stated that waiting for tomorrow is pointless; instead, we should do the work that can be done today. Tomar praised the Agri Startups, saying that very good experiments had been carried out in the country. When we came to power in 2014, there were 32 startups in all sectors combined. Prime Minister Modi has consistently encouraged startups in the country, as a result of which the number of Agri Startups alone has now increased to 2,000, while more than 10,000 Startups are working across all sectors. India will become a world guru in the future based on their strength.
Choudhary, Union Minister of State for Agriculture, also spoke at the event. Members of Parliament Ramcharan Bohra and Colonel Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, as well as Rajasthan Principal Secretary Dinesh Kumar, were present. The welcome address was given by Dr. Vijayalakshmi Nadendla, Joint Secretary-Marketing and Director General of Regulation. The vote of thanks was proposed by Dr. Ramesh Mittal, Director of NIAM. During the convocation, Tomar awarded diplomas to Post Graduate Diploma-Agri Business Management students and medals to deserving students. Tomar also launched startup products, trained and funded by NIAM, and distributed grant cheques.
A startup exhibition and product display was also held, with startups trained and funded by NIAM taking part. On the occasion, awards were given to NIAM's partner institutions based on their performance in startup training and funding, including the Platinum Award to Karan Narendra Agricultural University, Jobner, the Diamond Award to the National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack (Odisha), and the Gold Award to Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour. Tomar also launched the Agri Innovation and Incubation Center's website, inaugurated the Farmer Producer Organization Business School and Smart Class Room, and received an update on the Indo-German project. NIAM also released nine publications at the ceremony.
