Agriculture Advisory Council should become a result oriented organisation: CM Kamal Nath

Bhopal: The Chief Minister Kamal Nath said that the Agriculture Advisory Council should prove itself a result oriented organization in increasing farmers’ income, enhancing their purchasing power and strengthening agriculture sector. He further mentioned that he aims to make Madhya Pradesh, a Capital of Horticulture. This will strengthen economic condition of the farmers and economy of the state. Kamal Nath was addressing the first meeting of the council at Mantralaya after its formation.
The Chief Minister said that mere discussions should not take place in the meeting. Draw conclusions and implement them in the betterment of the farmers. There is a need to work with this aim. Kamal Nath told members of the council to give suggestions to him and the secretary advisor before the next meeting, so that they could be studied and decision could be taken in the next meeting after the discussion.
Kamal Nath said that state has agriculture based economy. Seventy percent of population is connected to the farming. Unless the farmers have purchasing power, we will not be able to expand the economic activities. For promotion of small trade and business, farmers need to be financially strengthened. Laying stress on the promotion of horticulture sector, he said that it is important that farmers have confidence that the crop produced by them will be procured. He said that this is an area through which we can increase farmers’ income. The Chief Minister further informed that he is also constantly holding discussions with the big industries of the country in this regard. If food processing units are expanded in the state, our state will definitely establish itself as a leading state in the field of horticulture.
The Chief Minister hoped that on the basis of feedback received from farmers, Agriculture Advisory Council will play a role of coordinator between their needs and mechanism. Kamal Nath said that the excess production is the biggest challenge before us today, after less production. There is also a need to take practical measures with utmost seriousness on how to make excess production profitable for the farmers. He said that all the members of the Council should identify the present and future challenges in the agriculture sector and prepare a strategy, for making farming a profitable sector. He said that it is his intention that the Council should become an accountable platform.
Appreciating the formation of the Council and its goals, the non-government members expressed gratitude towards the Chief Minister. The Farmer Leader Shivkumar Sharma ‘Kakka Ji’ described the logic of making Madhya Pradesh a Horticulture state, a good idea. He mentioned that this is an only option of the prosperity of farmers. He thanked Chief Minister for disposal of 2 lakh cases of Namankan, Seemankan, Namantaran (Nomination, Mutation, Demarcation) etc. within only few months. He hoped that action will also be taken with promptness in remaining cases.