New Delhi [India], May 31 (ANI): Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday hailed Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan, saying that under this campaign, demand-driven research will be done on the basis of feedback coming from the village.

'I congratulate our scientist.... Now, research will not be done sitting in Delhi. Demand-driven research will be done based on feedback coming from the village. Agriculture remains the backbone of the Indian economy... This growth rate results from policy changes by PM Modi, his vision, and the hard work of the farmers,' he said.

Earlier, Chouhan launched the 'Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan' from Sakhigopal of Puri district, Odisha, today. This historic initiative, launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), is a concrete step towards transforming Indian agriculture and securing the food future of the country through scientific innovation and grassroots participation.

During the 15-day campaign, Chouhan will travel to about 20 states. State governments will play a key role in realising this mission, and all states are expected to make this campaign a success through collective ownership and dedication.

This campaign will be organised in more than 700 districts from 29 May to 12 June 2025. 731 KVKs, 113 ICAR institutes, state-level departments and officials of agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, fisheries and innovative farmers will participate in this campaign. Through this campaign, an effort has been made to add a strong chapter towards the resolution of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a Vikashit Bharat.

'Agriculture has traditionally been a state subject in our country. Each state formulates its own agricultural policies and takes steps in the interest of its farmers. But in today's rapidly changing times, there is a need to bring comprehensive reforms to Indian agriculture. Our farmers have filled food reserves by producing record yields. However, markets are evolving, and consumer preferences are changing,' PM Modi said via video conference during the launch of Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan.

'Therefore, this is a humble effort to bring about changes in the agricultural system by working together with farmers and state governments. The goal is to modernise Indian agriculture, and for that, this campaign aims to initiate direct discussions with farmers. Under this campaign, our teams of scientists are taking the concept of 'lab to land' forward in a major way. They will provide farmers with modern agricultural knowledge backed by data and will support them before the season begins,' he added.

He appealed to the farmers to address every query of the farmers and document their valuable suggestions as well. 'The 'Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan' will open new doors of progress for our 'annadatas' (food providers). With this hope, I extend my heartfelt best wishes to the entire team and all the farmers,' he added. (ANI)