Minister of Tribal Affairs, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Arjun Munda inaugurated the 3-day National dairy Mela and Agricultural Exhibition at Chaibasa in West Singhbhum district in Jharkhand today. Dairy mela is a platform where efforts have been made to bring the latest technologies of dairy science to the farmers. There is a need for the country's farmers and cattle rearers to adopt scientific methods to augment milk production.

In his address, Shri Arjun Munda said that this event is being organized on the land of Kolhan with the aim of promoting agriculture. He said that today the country is progressing in the field of agriculture, but our region is quite backward. But, now we will work to advance agricultural work in this area. Union Minister said that the first such event in Jharkhand is being organized on the land of Kolhan by the National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana. During this time, information was received from the institute that we can increase milk production here and I will try to open one of its centers in this area so that people can get help in milk production. Shri Munda said that I express my gratitude to the farmers who contribute a lot to the country's economy. Shri Arjun Munda urged the farming community to take advantages of several important schemes launched by the Government like, PM Fasal Bima and PM Kisan Samridhi.

Union Minister visited the stalls which were set up and interacted with the Farmers Producer Organisation (FPO'S) and the local Farmers. He said that the country has become self-reliant in food production due to the hard work of our farmers and technologies developed by the agricultural scientists like the introduction of agricultural drones being utilised for crop spraying and crop monitoring.

Director, National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal Dr. Dhir Singh said that as a part of the 'Amrit Kaal' Utsav, this fair will establish new dimensions by expanding innovative agricultural technology in the field of livestock production management and dairy processing for a 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047 in line with the vision of the Prime Minister.

More than 6 thousand cattle rearers, farmers, input dealers, entrepreneurs, students, officers and employees of government and non-government departments are participating in this fair, in which the technologies developed by various research institutes of the country, district level departments - District Horticulture Department, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department, Agriculture Department, NABARD Bank, District Sericulture Department, District Irrigation Department, Women and Child Development Department etc. are being demonstrated to the stakeholders in which more than 50 exhibition Stalls of agricultural technologies, cows, goats and other animals has also been set up. For the all-round development of livestock and agriculture in the tribal areas, along with a beauty contest of advanced breed animals, animal health medical camps are also being organized.

In the fair, farmer-scientist dialogues and farmer seminars are also being organized to make farmers aware of the latest aspects of agriculture and animal husbandry technology, in which quick solutions to questions related to farming and animal husbandry are being presented. The farmer brothers and sisters from different blocks and villages of West Singhbhum district are also participating in the fair. Along with promoting the research, the farmers who are setting records in the field of vegetable production, crop production, dairy production management, processing and value addition Will be rewarded in the fair for boosting their morale. Under the Scheduled Tribe Sub-Plan, material technology will also be made available to the farmers to promote agricultural knowledge.

MP from West Singhbhum district Smt. Geeta Koda, agricultural scientists, FPO'S and farmers were also present during the inaugural event. ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana is organizing this Dairy Fair and Agricultural Exhibition from March 9-11, 2024. This fair is being organized for the all-round development of livestock and agriculture in the tribal area.

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