New laws will be useful for economic development of farmers: CM Chouhan

Irrigation area will reach 65 lakhs
Farmer Producer Organisations will be given the form of a movement
Virtual dedication of 50 new irrigation schemes of the state

Bhopal, Dec 14

“New agricultural laws will be useful in the economic development of farmers. The Farmers’ (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 is being effectively implemented in Madhya Pradesh,” Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Apart from the mandi, farmers will get the benefit of alternative methods to sell their crop, added CM Chouhan.

Chief Minister Chouhan said that the irrigation area of ​​Madhya Pradesh will be continually increased. This is the top priority of the state government. For me, after God it is the farmer. The farmer grows food on the Earth by toiling hard. Farmers are the focal point of our system. The expansion of irrigation resources is a boon for these sons of the soil (farmers). Irrigation area of ​​the state will be raised to 65 lakhs. Prime Minister Shri Modi wants to double the income of farmers. Madhya Pradesh will be active in accomplishing this goal.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was addressing the virtual dedication and bhoomi pujan programme of irrigation schemes at Minto Hall today.

Relief in Corona period due to abundant wheat production

Chief Minister Chouhan said that the irrigation potential created in the state is being fully utilized. This year Madhya Pradesh surpassed Punjab in wheat production. At least there was no food crisis during Corona period. It proved to be a relief during this period. Agricultural infrastructure will be strengthened in the state. Farmer Producer Organization (FPO) will be given the form of a movement. Our aim is to change the condition of farmers.

Continuously increasing irrigation area

Chief Minister Chouhan said that the area under irrigation used to be only 7-8 lakh hectare earlier, which we have increased to 40 lakh hectare. Now the target is 65 lakh hectare. Every inch of agricultural land will be irrigated.

Chief Minister Chouhan said that schemes worth Rs. 30 thousand crore will be approved in the coming year. Narmada water will be fully utilized. The implementation of Narmada schemes will also be completed in three years. The Kisan Rail is running on the initiative of Prime Minister Modi. Necessary steps will be constantly taken to ensure that the farmer gets the right price for his produce. In the state, 27 major, 47 medium and 287 minor irrigation projects costing Rs 60 thousand 737 crore are under construction. Their irrigation potential will be of 24 lakh hectares. The work for accomplishing this goal has started. Partial irrigation facility has been provided in about four lakh hectare area. Sprinkler irrigation method is also being encouraged.

Chief Minister Chouhan said that Covid-19 has affected the construction of schemes to some extent but this year the target is to develop additional irrigation potential in 1.25 lakh hectares by completing about 100 projects. Chief Minister Chouhan said that the cost of 50 schemes dedicated today is Rs 384.35 crore. This will irrigate an area of ​​16 thousand 336 hectares. Farmers of 131 villages of 9 districts of the state will be benefited. Chief Minister Chouhan also performed bhoomi pujan for three other irrigation schemes worth Rs. 7.82 crore in Ratlam district.

Chhindwara’s schemes approved in 2016 and 2018

Chief Minister Chouhan said that the approval for the dedicated schemes was given in the year 2016 and 2018. Efforts made in the past are now bearing fruit. Schemes are being launched on time. Among the schemes that are being dedicated today, administrative approval has been given for Bandhani reservoir, Kekda reservoir, Jhirna barrage, Sanwalakheda barrage, Sendurajna reservoir, Pendoni reservoir of Chhindwara district in the year 2016 and 2018. About one thousand farmers of 17 villages will be benefited from these schemes. Irrigation can be done in more than 1500 hectare area. Timely action was taken by the Water Resources Department to complete these schemes.

Farmers’ schemes were withdrawn, Kisan Kalyan was restarted

Chief Minister Chouhan said that the amount of crop insurance scheme was not deposited in Madhya Pradesh. Promises related to farmers were not fulfilled in the year 2019. The list of eligible beneficiaries was not sent for the benefits of Kisan Samman Nidhi, due to which the farmers of the state were deprived of the benefit of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Nidhi. Now the scheme will restart, under which, the total amount is Rs 6 thousand and the state government is contributing Rs 4 thousand. We prepared a list of over 70 lakh farmers. If required, other eligible farmers will also be added to the list. For small and marginal farmers, Rs 10 thousand of this scheme holds a lot of importance.

New laws to be useful for welfare of farmers

Chief Minister Chouhan said that today some people are opposing the new farmer laws. The new laws are useful for the welfare of farmers. No one can play with the interests of the farmers in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Chief Minister Chouhan said that it has been made clear that the mandi will not be closed under the new laws. The farmer will also be able to sell produce outside the mandi. If the trader earns more profit by selling the produce, it should be the right of the farmer. Who has objection to this? Chief Minister Chouhan said that the farmer can sell his produce to the exporter as well as private mandi. Similarly, a provision has been made that after the agreement between the buyer and the seller at the time of sowing, the buyer purchases the produce below the prescribed price after the market conditions change which results in loss to the farmer. Now action will be taken in this case on behalf of the state government.

Chief Minister Chouhan also gave an example of purchasing funds at the highest price from farmers in Hoshangabad district recently. In this case the Rice Company refused to purchase produce from the farmers when the price of paddy in the market increased. Thus farmers got fair price for their produce due to awareness of farmers and action by the administration.

Chief Minister Chouhan said that new laws are for the welfare of farmers. Competition should be there and it is right for the farmer to sell his produce anywhere.

Chief Minister Chouhan informed that earlier there was limit of stock, now it will not be there under the new law. The Government of India wants to keep the path of maximum procurement open. If it provides more benefit to the farmer, then no one should object to this. All three farmers’ laws are in the interest of farmers.

Minister of State for Water Resources Ramkishore Kanware said at the inauguration ceremony of irrigation projects that the most important goal of the Madhya Pradesh government is to provide water in every farmer’s field. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has taken a pledge to deliver water to the fields of every small and medium farmer. Continuous efforts are being made for this. There is immense potential for increase in production in agriculture in Madhya Pradesh, and Shivraj Singh Chouhan has taken the responsibility of fulfilling this target. He is constantly striving to implement new schemes.

Talk with farmers

Chief Minister Chouhan also spoke to farmers in the programme of dedication of schemes of the Water Resources Department. Kanhaiya Madan, a farmer of Ratlam, said that the construction of dam will irrigate 2200 hectare area and increase the yield of farmers. Farmers around Bhimravat village grow lemon and guava in abundance and send the crop to Jaipur for sale.

Ratlam had rainfall, although the weather is fine now, agricultural production will increase with construction of the dam. Farmer from Alirajpur, Virendra Patel, said during the discussion with Chief Minister Chouhan that now farmers will be able to sow their second crop in 400 hectare after construction of Sejgaon barrage. This will directly benefit more than 100 farmers. Farmer of Betul Amla Shri Suresh Gaonre thanked the Chief Minister for the construction of the dam and said that more than 10 hectare area will benefit from it.

Shubham Meena, a farmer of Sehore, said that the dam has been well-constructed, 140 hectares of land will be irrigated additionally and we will also be able to plant vegetables after wheat, gram etc. Additional Chief Secretary Water Resources S.N. Mishra welcomed Chief Minister Chouhan and other guests. He informed about efforts being made to increase irrigation in the state. About 200 farmers, officials and general public were present at Minto Hall amidst social distancing.