Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare and Rural Development Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan will be on a two-day visit to West Bengal on July 13–14, 2026. During the visit, he will hold key discussions with Chief Minister Shri Suvendu Adhikari on agriculture and rural development, besides interacting directly with jute farmers and women from Self-Help Groups.

Shri Chouhan will arrive in Kolkata on the evening of July 13 and proceed directly to the Chief Minister's residence. A dinner meeting between the Union Minister and the Chief Minister will focus on strengthening cooperation between the Centre and the State on key issues, including agriculture, farmers' welfare schemes, rural roads, housing, and employment.

On July 14, a high-level review meeting will be held at the New Secretariat Building in Kolkata. The meeting will be attended by the Chief Minister, the Chief Secretary, senior officials of the concerned State departments, and senior officers from the Government of India. The Union Minister will be accompanied by officials from the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, the Ministry of Rural Development, and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

During the meeting, the Central team will present the status of major flagship programs, including PM-KISAN, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana, Minimum Support Price operations, Viksit Bharat–G RAM G, rural roads and housing initiatives, and funds allocated to Panchayati Raj Institutions. Detailed discussions will also be held on the future roadmap for accelerating agricultural growth and rural development in the state.

Later in the afternoon, Shri Chouhan will visit the ICAR–Central Research Institute for Jute and Allied Fibres at Barrackpore, where he will interact with jute farmers and women from Self-Help Groups.

The Union Agriculture Minister will hear first-hand from farmers about the challenges they face in jute cultivation, including retting, water availability, pest and disease management, production costs, and market prices. Discussions will also focus on measures to enhance farmers' share in the jute value chain.

Scientists from ICAR-CRIJAF will showcase improved jute varieties and demonstrate modern retting techniques, water conservation practices, and simplified processing and marketing technologies. Women Self-Help Groups will also be introduced to opportunities in jute-based products and value addition, with a focus on promoting rural entrepreneurship, increasing household incomes, and creating sustainable employment opportunities in villages.

Through this two-day visit, featuring high-level consultations with the State leadership as well as direct engagement with farmers in the jute belt, the Central Government, under the leadership and guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, is reinforcing its commitment to placing agriculture and rural development at the forefront of its policy priorities in West Bengal.

***

RC/MS/PU