Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar today inaugurated the District Level Multipurpose Mega Kisan Fair organized at Bishnupur in Gumla district of Jharkhand. Marking the 40^th anniversary of the establishment of Vikas Bharti, Bishunpur, the fair was organized by the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Gumla, functioning from the Vikas Bharti premises and under its administrative control. Addressing the gathering, Chief Guest Shri Tomar said that India's respect has increased in the whole world because of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's personality and work, his vision and commitment. Today the world is looking towards India with expectation that if need be, India will help us in crisis. Shri Tomar said that from now, the Amrit Mahotsav, till Amrit Kaal when India completes 100 years of Independence, our country should emerge as the ‘Vishwa Guru’ (world guru) and let the world proclaim ‘India, the Best’, this is possible only when all of us work together by adopting the basic mantra of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas’. Every citizen will have to work by understanding this responsibility.

Underlining the importance of the Agriculture sector, Union Minister Shri Tomar said that it has such great power that neither the Mughals nor the British could shake it. Even during the Corona pandemic, our Agriculture sector kept the country's economy going. Even during the Covid period, the farmers produced bumper crops and under the leadership of PM Modi, 80 crore people were provided free food grains by the Centre. The Modi Government is engaged in uplifting the farmers. The strengthening of Agri-Rural Infrastructure is being done with this objective.

Shri Tomar said that there are many challenges in the Agriculture sector, which will have to be tackled continuously. Prime Minister Shri Modi has provided a security cover like the Crop Insurance Scheme to the farmers, under this scheme claims worth Rs. 1.30 lakh crore have settled the farmers compensated for their losses. Shri Tomar said that in the present circumstances, awareness should be carried out about which crop can be more remunerative to the farmers, which technology should reach the farmers so that their farming is protected, the cost is reduced and it becomes profitable. He termed crop diversification as the need of the hour, and also said that to empower the small farmers, they need to be organized through FPOs, the government is working in this direction.

Union Agriculture Minister Shri Tomar said that under the ambitious scheme of Kisan Credit Card, the Center has kept a target of Rs. 20 lakh crore, the benefits of which are being taken by our farmers. This scheme includes farmers of allied areas including Animal Husbandry & Fisheries. Majority of the small farmers are being continuously benefited through micro-irrigation scheme, Agriculture Infrastructure Fund etc.

Emphasizing on empowering the farmers, Shri Tomar said that if the farmer prospers, the country will progress. Referring to the International Year of Millets – 2023, declared by the United Nations on the initiative of PM Modi, Shri Tomar said the farmers should move fast in this direction. Jharkhand should be known as the Millets (Shree Anna) State in the world, the State Government should also make concerted efforts in this direction.

In the program MPs Shri Sudarshan Bhagat and Shri Sameer Oraon as well as Dr. Onkarnath Singh, Vice Chancellor of Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi, Director of Mustard Research Directorate, Bharatpur Dr. P.K. Rai, Vice President of Vikas Bharti, Dr. Ranjana Chowdhary, Secretary Dr. Ashok Bhagat (Padma Shri), Joint Secretary Shri Mahendra Bhagat and Dr. Sanjay Singh of KVK besides a large number of farmers and scientists were present.

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