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New Delhi: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Pradhan Mantri Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana (PM-DDKY) and ‘Atmanirbharta Mission in Pulses’, agriculture bodies, farmers and state governments across India on Saturday lauded the initiatives, calling them historic steps towards farmer welfare and agricultural self-reliance.
With a total outlay of Rs 35,440 crore – which includes Rs 24,000 crore for PM-DDKY and Rs 11,440 crore for the Pulses Mission – the schemes aim to increase productivity, expand the area under pulse cultivation, strengthen the value chain from procurement to processing and reduce losses, addressing key farmer concerns.
Inaugurating the programs, PM Modi said, “Both these schemes are for the self-reliance of the country and they will change the fate of crores of farmers of India.”
Farmers in New Delhi expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister, calling this step historic.
A farmer told IANS, “We hope that these schemes will greatly benefit the farmers. We hope to become ‘self-reliant’. We thank PM Modi for this.”
Another said, “PM Modi’s vision is great and very beneficial for farmers. Whatever steps he has taken, he has empowered us.”
In Rajasthan, Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma attended the virtual launch program from Jaipur and appreciated the schemes.
State Agriculture and Horticulture Minister Kirori Lal Meena told IANS, “Farmers will benefit greatly from PM-DDKY and self-reliance mission in pulses. Now both farmers and the country will become self-reliant.”
Farmers of the state also welcomed this initiative.
One said, “If these schemes are implemented successfully, farmers will be very happy as it will benefit them a lot.”
Another said, “This is a very good scheme of the Centre. It will help us a lot.”
Officials and farmers watched the Prime Minister’s address live in Bidar, Karnataka.
Deputy Registrar of Cooperative Societies Manjula S. “We have 190 units of PKPS where the Pradhan Mantri Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana program started today. The entire board, directors and farmers participated, focusing on the objective of Rs 24,000 crore of the scheme,” he told IANS.
Suryakant Wagdale, president of the Primary Agricultural Credit Cooperative Society, said, “Villagers from nearby areas gathered to watch the Prime Minister’s program. Everyone is keeping a close eye on the program. We will continue to inform farmers about the program through our cooperative groups.”
In Odisha, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi lauded the launch of both the schemes and described them as transformative for agriculture and empowering farmers.
Chandra Sahu, Progressive Farmers Corporation of Cuttack District, described the initiative as “a historic step towards farmers’ empowerment and agricultural transformation”.
“Today’s launch marks a new beginning for India’s farmers. This visionary initiative will take our country forward and uplift millions of farmer families,” Sahu told IANS.
Thanking the Prime Minister for his sustained efforts, Sahu said, “No other leader has shown such a deep understanding and commitment towards the welfare of farmers. His reforms, including the GST adjustment and support schemes, are driving real growth in the rural economy.”
He also expressed pride in Odisha’s inclusion in the first phase of the program and said that four districts have been selected.
“This will encourage our farmers to diversify crops and adopt modern practices,” he said.
On the mission of self-reliance in pulse production, Sahu said, “Promoting pulse cultivation will open new sources of income for farmers, reduce dependence on imports and India will become self-reliant in the pulse sector. This will strengthen our financial stability.”
Chandra Martha, another farmer, said, “It is great to see such a big announcement by the Prime Minister. He has launched many projects and talked about many beneficial measures for farmers to increase productivity. This marks the beginning of a new era for agriculture.”
Praising PM Modi, Chandra Martha said, “No Prime Minister before has paid so much attention to the welfare of farmers. With these initiatives, we are hopeful and grateful to both the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister for prioritizing the prosperity of farmers.”
Farmer Amardeep Patra of Jatni block expressed his gratitude to both the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister for the farmer-friendly initiative.
Patra said, “The launch of PM Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana and other announcements made today will greatly benefit farmers. With better support, we will be able to increase our production, sell our produce easily in the market and earn good profits. This scheme will bring real progress in our villages.”
He also appreciated the Odisha government for extending support to farmers.
He said, “We are grateful to the Chief Minister for providing additional input subsidy of Rs 800 over and above the MSP. This has encouraged more people to take up farming again in our district. The state’s focus on farmers’ welfare is truly commendable.”
–IANS