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New Delhi : Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Radha Mohan Singh on April 25, 2017, inaugurated the two-day National Conference on Agriculture for Kharif Campaign – 2017 in New Delhi. Parshottam Rupala and Sudarshan Bhagat, Ministers of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, also addressed the conference.
In his inaugural address, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Radha Mohan Singh applauded efforts of the Central and State Governments in attaining an estimated record production of about 272 million metric tons in foodgrains and 33.6 million tons oilseeds. Singh particularly referred to the expected quantum jump in pulses production estimated at a record breaking 22.14 million metric tons as per the second Advance Estimates, according to a PIB release.
Radha Mohan Singh pointed out to the encouraging first stage forecast of the South West monsoon during Kharif 2017 and exhorted the States to make all necessary arrangements of agricultural inputs for farmers. He stressed on the commitment of the government to double the income of farmers by 2022. A roadmap has been prepared to scale up pulses production to 24 MMTs by 2021, Singh said.
Union Agriculture Minister Singh complimented states that have achieved the target of delivery of soil health cards to all farmers and exhorted the others to complete the first phase by in the next 2-3 months. Singh pointed out that the second cycle of the Soil Health Card scheme will commence in May 2017. He referred to growing popularity of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and hoped that the States will expand the coverage further this year. He encouraged States to implement the Paramparagat Krishi Yojana in a mission mode to promote organic farming particularly in the rainfed and hilly areas.