Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan continued his response to the discussion on the functioning of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare in the Rajya Sabha on Monday. On Friday, Chauhan's response had to be halted due to Private Members' Business. Right from the beginning of his address, Chauhan targeted the Congress and its leaders. He said that while the Congress talked about direct aid for farmers, they failed to create a concrete plan. PM Modi understood this. Though the amount may seem small at 6000 rupees, it is significant for small and marginal farmers. This small sum has enhanced the respect of farmers, made them self-reliant, and accelerated development. Those who cannot see this are blind to farmers' respect.
Referencing a report, Chauhan stated that the 'Samman Nidhi' has increased the farmers' risk-taking capabilities. Highlighting the Congress's track record, Chauhan pointed out leaders like Digvijay Singh, claiming his hands were stained with the blood of 24 farmers. He enumerated instances where farmers were shot under Congress rule in Bihar (1986), Delhi (1988), Meerut, Multai, and Nandigram. At this point in his speech, the opposition Congress members walked out of the Rajya Sabha.
Chauhan presented data on the mention of farmers in Prime Ministers' speeches on August 15, from Pandit Nehru to Congress-led governments, and compared it with the number of times PM Narendra Modi mentioned farmers during his addresses from the Red Fort. Without naming Rahul Gandhi, he remarked that one of their leaders embarked on a journey to Sonepat where cameras were strategically placed and the agenda pre-decided. Upon reaching the field, the leader was seen asking the cameramen where to stand and how to pose. Chauhan emphasized that farmers' welfare cannot be achieved through dramas. “We have videos,” he said, asserting his credibility as a farmer who understands these issues firsthand.
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Chairman Dhankhar then asked Chauhan to authenticate his claims. Chauhan offered a pen drive as evidence. He spoke of a situation where a leader, upon learning that red chili fetched a higher price than green chili, questioned why farmers didn't grow more red chilies. Chauhan conveyed grievances from farmers who cultivated sugarcane but received compensation for wheat, stressing the need to correct such discrepancies. To facilitate this, the government is launching the Digital Agriculture Mission, incorporating navigation for better accuracy.
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Chauhan highlighted the efforts to benefit small farmers with limited landholdings. He mentioned the development of a model farm demonstrating profitable agriculture on even one hectare. According to Chauhan, fertilizers have been a boon in filling our grain reserves, but their excessive use has had adverse effects, harming soil health and killing beneficial insects. He emphasized that while fertilizers are necessary, their overuse is detrimental to both crop and soil health, reducing fertility and ecological balance.
We Must Boost Agricultural Exports
Chauhan emphasized that earthworms, once considered the farmers' best friends, have vanished. He urged a shift towards natural farming to maintain production levels. The government is initiating the Natural Farming Mission, aiming to make one crore farmers aware and beginning natural farming on 7.5 lakh hectares. “We will start small and see the results,” he added, noting that scientists are also praising this approach. He stressed the need to boost agricultural exports, listing increases in the export of rice, spices, peanuts, and sugar, stating that there are tremendous opportunities for expansion.
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Chauhan underscored their strategy by quoting, “It’s not just about creating uproar.” He set out an ambitious goal for the next five years to develop crop varieties adapting to climate change. The Agriculture Minister announced that 109 new varieties would soon be dedicated to farmers by the PM. Integrating water, land, climate, forests, animals, and people is a vision only understood by the BJP and Narendra Modi’s government. Over the next five years, 18,000 crore rupees will be invested in creating horticultural clusters, integrating 1500 markets to ease farmer access, initiating the Oilseeds Mission, amending the Pesticide Amendment Act, and preparing 50,000 villages to be climate-resilient.
Engage with Farmers' Organizations
In a poetic tone, Chauhan concluded, “I know time is limited, but what can I do, my every breath is for the farmers.” He appealed to not politicize farmers' issues. The government engaged agriculture ministers from various states to discuss and address problems. Chauhan assured that the problems in agriculture have solutions and that they will engage with farmers and their organizations to find them through dialogue. He promised that no efforts would be spared for the welfare of farmers and agriculture. The Chairman echoed his sentiment, urging Chauhan to connect deeply with farmers' hearts to solve their problems, highlighting it as the highest priority, aiding national development.
