Union Agriculture, Farmers’ Welfare, and Rural Development Minister has assured Maharashtra of the Central government’s full support for its various agricultural and rural development schemes and initiatives. This assurance came during a review meeting held in Nagpur, attended by the Chief Minister and senior state officials.
The meeting, organized at the National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning (NBSS & LUP), focused on enhancing coordination between improved seeds, organic fertilizers, weather-adaptive farming methods, modern technology, smart irrigation, and market linkages to ensure the sustainability of farming practices.
The Union Minister emphasized the need to develop crop varieties tailored to the specific weather conditions of different regions across the country. He also directed the agriculture department to expedite the Farmer ID campaign, ensuring that all farmers have a unique identification to facilitate the disbursement of benefits under various agricultural schemes.
“Maharashtra will receive full support from the Center for its various schemes and initiatives in the coming times,” he stated. He particularly stressed the importance of developing climate-resilient cotton varieties and high-yielding crops suitable for low-rainfall areas. The Minister also called for the creation of a ‘Best Cropping Model’ for the state.
Chief Minister was commended by the Union Minister for his innovative initiatives in the agriculture and rural development sectors, especially praising the Prime Minister Awas Yojana (Rural) and sandbank projects.
The meeting also highlighted successful farming initiatives from across the state, with Union Minister calling for the dissemination of these “success stories” nationwide. Examples included the sericulture efforts of Eknath Talekar from Beed district and the orchid farming of Vandana Rathod from Yavatmal district.
A detailed review of centrally sponsored schemes, including the Prime Minister Awas Yojana, PM Janman Yojana, Prime Minister Gram Sadak Yojana, and MGNREGA, was conducted. The Union Minister expressed satisfaction with Maharashtra’s achievement of MGNREGA targets.
The Chief Minister also shared information about the Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, which provides financial assistance to women, and the Lakhpati Didi scheme, aimed at making women financially self-reliant. He announced the state’s ambitious target of creating one crore Lakhpati Didi’s in the coming years.
The meeting was attended by State Agriculture Minister, Rural Development Minister, Minister of State for Finance, and senior officials from both the central and state governments.
