Lucknow, June 25
Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced the establishment of a Clean Plant Center in Lucknow to accelerate the growth of Uttar Pradesh’s horticulture sector. He said, “The center will provide farmers with high-quality, disease-free planting material, helping expand horticultural cultivation and significantly increase farmers’ incomes.”
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan jointly reviewed Uttar Pradesh’s agricultural roadmap, the implementation of various central and state agricultural schemes, and rural development programmes on Thursday at the Yojana Bhawan in Lucknow. Senior officials from both the Central and State Governments also attended the meeting.
Addressing the gathering, the Union Minister said, “A prosperous Uttar Pradesh is essential for realizing the vision of Viksit Bharat. The faster Uttar Pradesh advances in agriculture, rural development, and farmers’ prosperity, the sooner the national goal of a developed India will be achieved.” He expressed confidence that the Centre and the State, through coordinated efforts, would successfully fulfill this national aspiration.
Chauhan said, “Uttar Pradesh was once counted among the BIMARU states but is now setting new benchmarks of development under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The state has achieved remarkable progress in agriculture, rural development, infrastructure, and public welfare.”
The Union Minister observed that while Uttar Pradesh has made significant progress in agriculture, evolving challenges require serious deliberation to align the sector with future needs and the vision of Viksit Bharat. He said, “The review meeting was organized to formulate strategies for making agriculture more productive, profitable, climate-resilient, and sustainable.”
On the occasion, Chouhan also approved the extension of the government procurement period for gram, lentil, and mustard and handed over the approval letter to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The Chief Minister thanked him, stating that the decision would enable more farmers to sell their produce at the Minimum Support Price (MSP), thereby safeguarding their interests.
The Union Minister also handed over a list of 618,482 eligible beneficiaries for the next phase of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin) to the Chief Minister and congratulated the state government. The Chief Minister said, “Under the Prime Minister’s leadership, welfare schemes for the poor have been effectively implemented in Uttar Pradesh. Providing housing to every eligible family remains a top priority.” He directed officials to ensure that all eligible beneficiaries receive the scheme’s benefits in a transparent and time-bound manner so that no deserving family is left out.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, Chouhan, for visiting Lucknow. He also thanked the Union Minister for approving new houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin), extending the procurement period for gram, lentils, and mustard and sanctioning the establishment of a Clean Plant Center in Lucknow for the development of Uttar Pradesh’s horticulture sector.
The Chief Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the guidance of Chouhan, India’s agriculture sector is moving in a new direction. He noted that Chouhan has had a long and successful tenure as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. Under his leadership, Madhya Pradesh achieved remarkable progress in agriculture, and today the entire country is benefiting from his experience, vision, and guidance. He expressed confidence that through the coordinated efforts of the Central and State Governments, the goals of Viksit Krishi and a Viksit Bharat can be achieved within the stipulated timeframe. He said, “The ‘Viksit Krishi Roadmap’ prepared by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) would serve as an extremely useful and guiding framework for Uttar Pradesh in achieving the Viksit Bharat by 2047 vision.”
The Chief Minister further said, “The State Government is committed to making the agriculture sector more productive, profitable, and technology-driven. The Central and State Governments are working in close coordination to promote agricultural diversification, expand the use of modern farming technologies, enhance value addition, conserve natural resources, and increase farmers’ incomes.” He expressed confidence that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and with the continued support of the Central Government, Uttar Pradesh will achieve the goal of Viksit Krishi and play a significant role in realizing the vision of Viksit Bharat.