Ranchi, Feb 11: The Chief Minister said that the state government will give the status of agriculture to lac cultivation and will fix its minimum support price. The Chief Minister said that it is the government’s resolve to make farmers self-reliant. Many schemes are being run in this regard, through which grants, loans and other necessary facilities are being made available to the farmers. The government has recently waived the loans of farmers with the introduction of Mukhyamantri Pashudhan Yojana. The government will take all possible steps to ensure that the farmers get their right.
The Chief Minister said that the government is giving special emphasis to create new godowns and food processing units to conserve and promote agriculture and agricultural products in Jharkhand. In this regard, around 500 new godowns and 224 food processing units are being built across the state.
The Chief Minister said that farmers are the backbone of the country. In such a situation, the state government is worried about the problems of the farmers. The government is preparing an action plan to increase the income of farmers. He said that today we are touching new heights of development but farmers are slowly being marginalized. It is a matter of great concern. The present state government is taking all necessary steps in the interest of farmers. He said that the government has procured 30 percent more paddy than the target this year.
The Chief Minister said that Mineral wealth is abundant in Jharkhand and this state also maintains a separate identity for its forest produce. He said that there was a time when Jharkhand had a different identity in the country and the world for lac cultivation, but it started to decline gradually. But, lac cultivation is in the blood of the people of Jharkhand. The Chief Minister said that the government is committed to bring back the old identity of lac as well as forest produce of Jharkhand. The Chief Minister also said that in the field of lac cultivation, we are producing about 20 thousand tons of lac using only 15 percent capacity. If the full capacity is used, then new records of lac cultivation could take place in the world. In this regard, the Indian Institute of Natural Resins and Gums has been playing an important role and will play it further.
The Chief Minister said that the demand for natural products is increasing rapidly all over the world. There is also a lot of potential in the field of lac and other forest produce. Government’s attention is towards this. For this, all facilities are being made available to the concerned farmers so that along with the extensive increase in lac and forest produce, its quality also increases.
The Chief Minister planted a safflower plant in the institute campus. Following this, he took a stock of the plants planted for lac production and took information related to lac production from agricultural scientists. Agricultural scientists apprised the Chief Minister that there are vast possibilities of lac production in Jharkhand. Women self-help groups can be linked to this to make them self-reliant.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister visited various stalls set up at the Kisan Mela-cum-Agricultural Technology Exhibition and closely observed the activities and took detailed information about them. More than 60 stalls have been set up in the exhibition. These stalls have been set up by various government, non-governmental and private institutions.
Other Important Facts
●On this occasion MoU was signed between the Indian Institute of Natural Resins and Gums and ICICI Foundation to promote lac cultivation.
●The Chief Minister released two publications in the program.
●Farmers, scientists and entrepreneurs were honoured who performed better in lac cultivation.
On the occasion, Badal Patralekh, Minister, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Cooperation Minister, Rajesh Kachhap, MLA, Deputy Commissioner, Senior Superintendent of Police,i KK Sharma, Director of the Institute, Shri Nirmal Kumar, Co-ordinator of the program and other officials and large number of farmers were present