New Delhi [India], June 7 (ANI): Union Minister of Agriculture, Farmers Welfare, and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, visited Ichhawar in Sehore, Madhya Pradesh, on Saturday as part of the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan (VKSA).

During his visit, the Union Minister engaged with local farmers, discussing key agricultural issues and initiatives to enhance farmers' welfare and rural development.

According to a release, this initiative embodies the vision of 'One Nation-One Agriculture-One Team' and aims to connect scientists with farmers nationwide. So far, Chouhan has visited Odisha, Jammu, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Punjab, and Uttarakhand. Today, he met with farmers in his birthplace, Sehore.

Chouhan highlighted the success of schemes like Ladli Behna Yojana and emphasised that under PM Modi's leadership, India is undergoing a transformative development.

He announced that letters of acceptance for around 8 lakh new homes were handed over to the poor under the PM Awas Yojana. Further, the eligibility criteria for the Yojana have been relaxed: people with an income up to Rs15,000, two-wheelers, and up to 2.5 acres of irrigated, or 5 acres of non-irrigated, land are now eligible, as stated in the release.

The Minister emphasised women's empowerment by highlighting the success of the Lakhpati Didi programme, and promised early completion of pending projects under the PM Gram Sadak Yojana. He also assured that the Narmada water would soon reach Sehore and its nearby villages.

Union Minister for Agriculture, Farmers Welfare and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, outlined six major goals of the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan (VKSA). These include increasing agricultural production to boost output, reducing input costs to enhance farmers' profitability, and ensuring fair prices to provide economic stability.

Additionally, the initiative aims to offer compensation for crop loss to safeguard farmers against natural adversities, promote crop diversification to improve resilience, and preserve the soil for future generations through the adoption of organic farming practices.

He said that high-quality seeds, tailored to local climate and soil, can increase yields by up to 1.5 times. Scientific teams are visiting villages to advise farmers based on local agricultural conditions.

VKSA is also a two-way communication platform, where scientists share research and listen to the practical challenges of farmers to guide future research and policymaking.

Soybean will be procured at Minimum Support Price (MSP), he said, adding that efforts are underway to strengthen the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana. Delays in insurance claim payments will now attract an additional 12% interest from insurance companies.

Chouhan also emphasised the need to modernise farming methods and called for collective participation in Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan to shape a new roadmap for Indian agriculture. (ANI)