logo
Agriculture must drive prosperity, not force migration: CM Yogi

Agriculture must drive prosperity, not force migration: CM Yogi

Lucknow, July 22: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today emphasized agriculture as the largest employment-generating sector in Uttar Pradesh, supporting nearly three crore farmers.
Speaking at the 36th Foundation Day of the Uttar Pradesh Council of Agricultural Research (UPCAR), he stressed that agriculture should lead to prosperity, not migration, and called for greater adoption of innovation and research to transform the sector. He noted that the MSME sector follows agriculture in employment, engaging around 1.65 crore people.
He stated that the development of Uttar Pradesh is critical to India's overall progress. 'If UP advances, no power in the world can stop India from becoming a developed nation. Every individual must make honest efforts in their respective fields to achieve this shared goal,' he said.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister visited an agricultural exhibition, released informative booklets and newsletters, and addressed a national seminar titled 'Developed Agriculture – Developed Uttar Pradesh at 2047'. He also felicitated distinguished agricultural scientists, young innovators, and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) for their contributions to the sector.
Highlighting the importance of region-specific innovation, CM Yogi said that agricultural research and development must align with India's diverse climatic and soil conditions. 'All such possibilities lie within UP,' he noted, adding that the state has a key role in realizing Prime Minister Modi's vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047.
Reaffirming the state's commitment to contributing to India's goal of becoming a $5 trillion economy, the Chief Minister reiterated Uttar Pradesh's aim to build a Rs 1 trillion economy by 2029.
He further stated that Uttar Pradesh is richly endowed by nature, especially in the field of agriculture. 'We have vast, fertile land and abundant water resources. UP might be the only region in the world where over 86 per cent of agricultural land is irrigated,' he remarked.
The state also boasts a strong network of agricultural institutions, including four state-run agricultural universities, with a fifth under development, as well as centrally run universities and over 15 premier agricultural research institutes. In addition, 89 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) are actively working to disseminate knowledge and technologies to farmers.
Despite these resources, the CM acknowledged a concerning gap: "only 25–30 per cent of farmers in the state are currently able to adopt and implement scientific research in their farming practices". He called for bridging this gap to ensure that the benefits of research and innovation truly reach the grassroots.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath highlighted that while Uttar Pradesh is home to 16% of the country's population, it holds only 11% of India's cultivable land. Remarkably, this land produces over 20% of the nation's food grains. He noted, "The state's fertile terrain, abundant water resources, and well-levelled land have the potential to triple its current agricultural output. However, realizing this potential requires a firm commitment to strengthening agricultural research and development."
The Chief Minister emphasised that nations that have invested in research and innovation, regardless of their size, are the ones that have progressed. 'Progress comes to those who focus on R&D, irrespective of their sector,' he said.
He further stated that Uttar Pradesh has the capacity not only to feed the country but also to contribute to global food security. He added, "The state holds immense potential in agriculture, horticulture, and vegetable production. To unlock this, there is a pressing need to accelerate research tailored to local climatic zones and natural ecosystems."
'The pace and direction of your research and development initiatives will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of both the state and the nation,' he said.
Looking ahead to India's $30 trillion economy target by 2047, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath urged a serious reflection on Uttar Pradesh's future role across key sectors like agriculture, infrastructure, education, industry, and healthcare. He noted that the state has already formulated a Vision 2047 action plan, and stressed the need for clear short- and medium-term milestones—by 2027, 2029, and 2035—to ensure visible progress. The CM also called on agricultural universities, research bodies, and Krishi Vigyan Kendras to play an active role in achieving these goals.
CM Yogi recalled the establishment of a Centre of Excellence in collaboration with Israel, where the training and dedication of Indian scientists complemented Israeli technical expertise. He questioned the limited expansion of such models and called for renewed efforts. 'If Israel can achieve this, why can't our agricultural universities replicate and expand it?' he asked. He lamented that farmers are still being forced to migrate due to a lack of progress in agriculture and stressed the urgency of reversing this trend.
Addressing climate change challenges, he noted that while heavy rains were expected during this season, 15–16 districts of UP have received below-average rainfall, while some neighbouring states are experiencing excessive rainfall. 'How prepared are we to deal with such fluctuations?' he asked.
The Chief Minister also pointed out that a delay of just one month in sowing, coupled with the use of old seed varieties, can result in a 30 per cent reduction in yield. He asked whether farmers had access to late-sowing seed varieties and whether they were properly trained and guided. 'If Krishi Vigyan Kendras, agricultural universities, and research centers don't offer timely and credible demonstrations, farmers won't be convinced,' he said. 'If they are still relying on outdated methods, it is because we have failed to connect them with modern techniques and information.'
He also stressed that even modest efforts in agriculture, horticulture, vegetable farming, and animal husbandry can significantly improve farmers' lives. Reiterating PM Modi's vision, he said, 'Reducing input costs and boosting productivity is the key to bringing smiles to farmers' faces—and this is only possible through robust research and development.' He expressed confidence that UPCAR will play a crucial role in supporting farmers through specialized research and innovation initiatives.
UNI MBD AAB
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Real estate fraud: Absconding promoters of Universal Buildwell arrested
Real estate fraud: Absconding promoters of Universal Buildwell arrested

Time of India

time31 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Real estate fraud: Absconding promoters of Universal Buildwell arrested

1 2 Chandigarh: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Gurugram Zonal Office, on Wednesday claimed to have arrested Raman Puri, Varun Puri and Vikram Puri – promoters and former directors of M/s Universal Buildwell Pvt Ltd – under the prevention of Money Laundering Act in a case related to alleged real estate fraud. The arrested accused, apprehended Tuesday night, were absconding for more than seven years and were declared proclaimed offenders by various courts in predicate matters. They were apprehended by the Delhi Police. The special PMLA court in Gurugram on Wednesday remanded the trio into ED custody until July 29. The ED had initiated an investigation into the case based on more than 30 FIRs registered under various sections of the IPC across Delhi NCR against M/s Universal Buildwell Pvt Ltd, Raman Puri, Vikram Puri, and Varun Puri for failing to complete real estate projects on time and cheating the homebuyers/investors of their hard-earned money. The company was taken to the CIRP (Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process), which resulted in a resolution plan for homebuyers/other financial contributors being accepted and NCLT (National Company Law Tribunal) ordering some assets to be delivered to the homebuyers, who were the financial creditors, and the remaining assets to be liquidated. Most of the homebuyers had invested in the project before 2010. The case stems from the fraudulent mobilisation of homebuyers/investors' funds by the accused persons through Universal Buildwell Pvt Ltd, based on false promises of completing the project by 2010 and also promising assured returns in commercial projects. The arrested persons are also accused of cheating various financial institutions through forgery and fraud. They reportedly transferred some assets at negligible rates, oversold existing inventory, and executed forged agreements for their personal benefits. In this matter, data collected from the resolution professional revealed that the company, through their accused promoters, collected more than Rs 1,000 crore over 12 years on eight different projects in Gurugram and Faridabad, namely Universal Trade Tower, Universal Greens, Universal Business Park, Aura, Universal Square, Market Square, The Pavilion, and Universal Prime. They allegedly utilised only part of the funds for development and siphoned off the funds to acquire lands and other assets for their personal gains through criminal misappropriation, cheating, forgery, and fraud.

MCD: New dumping began after cleaning Singhola landfill site
MCD: New dumping began after cleaning Singhola landfill site

Time of India

time31 minutes ago

  • Time of India

MCD: New dumping began after cleaning Singhola landfill site

New Delhi: Facing criticism for developing a fourth landfill at Singhola after Okhla, Bhalswa and Ghazipur, Municipal Corporation of Delhi claimed that it cleared all the deposited silt at the 7.2-acre location through bioremediation by mid-June. Over six months, 7.59 lakh MT of silt was removed. Following the site clearance, the dumping of silt from eight zones—Shahdara North, Shahdara South, Civil Lines, City SP, Rohini, Narela, Keshav Puram and Karol Bagh—started on July 1 as no alternative location was available, officials said. Daily bioremediation and biomining processes were implemented to prevent substantial waste accumulation, they added. In 2018, Delhi Development Authority allotted the land in Khampur village to the erstwhile east corporation for silt disposal. Subsequently, other agencies, including Public works Department and the irrigation & flood control department, also began utilising the site to dump silt collected during their yearly pre-monsoon drainage cleaning operations. "As a result, within five years of the allotment, the land ran out of capacity," said an official. You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi In 2023, MCD developed a Rs 79-crore proposal to level the site and generate additional space for waste disposal, incorporating biomining and processed material disposal. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Could Be the Best Time to Trade Gold in 5 Years IC Markets Learn More Undo "It was decided that the inert generated will be utilised by National Highways Authority of India for road construction, plastic material will be recycled and construction waste will be sent to a C&D waste plant for processing," an official said earlier. A process to invite tenders started in March 2024 to identify an agencies to implement the task. "MCD awarded the desilting tender in Nov 2024, with 8,000MT of silt reportedly processed daily. The work started after the Supreme Court's direction and the final cost of the project turned out to be Rs 46 crore," said the official. Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh added that BJP govt was fully committed to eradicating the mountains of garbage in the city in a time-bound manner and MCD was working diligently to make Delhi clean and green. Most of the silt was earlier sent to Bhalswa, Ghazipur and Okhla landfills, according to officials. Due to the need to decrease the height of these landfills, especially Bhalswa, within fixed timelines, the authorities decided to transfer the silt generated after the cleaning of drains to Singhola.

Per capita income: Sikkim dethrones UT from Top 3
Per capita income: Sikkim dethrones UT from Top 3

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

Per capita income: Sikkim dethrones UT from Top 3

1 2 Chandigarh: From the third highest per capita income in the country in 2013-14, the city slipped to the fourth position after a gap of a decade in 2023-24. As per the information shared by the ministry of finance in the Lok Sabha during the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament, the per capita net state domestic product (NSDP) at constant prices of Chandigarh stood at Rs 1,80,615 in 2013-14. It increased at a rate of 42% over a decade to Rs 2,56,912 in 2023-24. Goa, which has the highest per capita income in the country, had a per capita income of Rs 1,88,358, only marginally higher than Chandigarh in 2013-14. However, in the next decade, its per capita income grew at a rate of 89.9%, and in 2023-24, it stood at Rs 3,57,611, leaving Chandigarh far behind. Sikkim, which was way behind Chandigarh in terms of per capita income in 2013-14, grew at a rate of 73.1% between 2013-14 and 2023-24. It increased its per capita income from Rs 1,68,897 to Rs 2,92,339, pushing Chandigarh down the ladder in the race for higher income. Chandigarh continues to perform better than the neighbouring states – Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh, in terms of per capita income. However, its growth rate in the decade from 2013-14 to 2023-24 was higher than only Punjab, which saw a growth rate of 39%. "The differences in the increase in per capita income may be attributed to a range of factors such as varying levels of economic development, sectoral composition, structural disparities, and differences in governance mechanisms, among others," said a UT official. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Notably, Chandigarh has seen the migration of industry, mainly micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) units, over the years to neighbouring Panchkula and Mohali. "Ownership laws, ease of doing business, building bylaws, and land prices are more congenial to growth in these cities. Consequently, industry has moved to these areas over the years," said the official.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store