"Pride of Nation": Uttarakhand CM Dhami hails farmers on PM Kisan Utsav Diwas

According to an official statement released by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), Chief Minister Dhami watched the virtual broadcast of Prime Minister Narendra Modi releasing the latest instalment of the PM-KISAN financial assistance through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to farmers across the country from West Bengal.

On the occasion of Prime Minister Kisan Utsav Diwas, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday participated in a programme that was organised at the Himalayan Cultural Centre, Garhi Cantonment, Dehradun, to mark the release of the 23rd instalment under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme. According to an official statement released by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), Chief Minister Dhami watched the virtual broadcast of Prime Minister Narendra Modi releasing the latest instalment of the PM-KISAN financial assistance through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to farmers across the country from West Bengal.

Congratulating the farmers of Uttarakhand on the release of the 23rd instalment of PM-KISAN, Chief Minister Dhami said that the occasion marks an important step towards the dignity, prosperity, and empowerment of farmers. Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, he said that the PM-KISAN scheme is ensuring transparent and direct financial assistance to millions of farmers across the country through their bank accounts.

He informed that approximately Rs 18,880 crore has been transferred to nearly 10 crore farmers nationwide through DBT. Under the scheme, more than 8 lakh farmers in Uttarakhand have received financial assistance exceeding Rs 159 crore. The Chief Minister noted that when the scheme was launched in 2019, around 4 lakh farmers in Uttarakhand were benefiting from it, whereas today the number has grown to over 8 lakh. He said this reflects the increasing trust of farmers in the double-engine government and demonstrates that welfare schemes are reaching the last mile.

He stated that while the nation's security is safeguarded by soldiers stationed at the borders, food security is ensured by the hard work and dedication of farmers. A farmer does not merely grow crops but also contributes to shaping the nation's future. Chief Minister Dhami said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Central Government has accorded the highest priority to the welfare, security, and prosperity of farmers.

Through the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, assistance is being provided to compensate for losses caused by natural disasters, while the Soil Health Card Scheme is helping farmers improve productivity by providing information about soil quality. He added that efforts are being made to make agriculture more profitable through natural farming, modern agricultural technologies, expanded irrigation facilities, and various other farmer-centric schemes.

As per the CMO, the Uttarakhand Government is also continuously working towards empowering farmers. In this direction, the state has decided to make irrigation through canals completely free of cost. A provision of Rs 200 crore has been made in the state budget to enhance farmers' income. He informed that more than 350 modern polyhouses have been developed in the state with an investment of approximately Rs 115 crore, helping farmers improve production and increase their earnings.

Highlighting the challenges faced by hill agriculture, which is largely dependent on rainfall, he said that a Rs 1,000 crore "Uttarakhand Climate Responsive Rain-Fed Farming Project" has been approved to ensure sustainable and secure farming despite changing climatic conditions. Chief Minister Dhami emphasised that the government is not limiting itself to launching welfare schemes but is ensuring that its benefits reach genuine beneficiaries with complete transparency. He reiterated that farmers are the pride of the nation and that the government remains committed to their prosperity and well-being.

He also appealed to the farmers of the state to adopt modern technologies, scientific farming methods, and government welfare schemes alongside traditional agricultural practices, and to actively contribute towards realising the vision of a developed Uttarakhand. (ANI)