Yogi Government 9 Years Agriculture Development: On completion of 9 years of Yogi government in Uttar Pradesh, Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi has made a big claim. Many changes like loan waiver of 86 lakh farmers, expansion of irrigation facilities, record food grain production and sugarcane payment were termed as achievements of the government.
These days, there is intense discussion in the politics of Uttar Pradesh regarding completion of 9 years of Yogi government. Meanwhile, State Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi, while talking to the media in Deoria, claimed that there has been an unprecedented change in the agriculture sector of the state in the last 9 years. He says that Uttar Pradesh has today emerged as a new agricultural model in terms of farming, irrigation, technology and financial assistance provided to farmers.
According to the Agriculture Minister, the biggest impact of government policies has been on farmers’ income, production and farming facilities. He said that among all the governments that came after the establishment of the state, the performance of the present government has been the best for the farmers.
Claim of change from law and order to farming
Agriculture Minister Shahi said that before 2017, there were many problems regarding law and order and administrative system in the state. He claims that at that time farmers were not able to get even basic facilities like fertiliser, electricity and irrigation on time. Government procurement of crops was limited and payments, especially to sugarcane farmers, remained pending for many years. He said that in the last few years, major decisions have been taken towards improving these systems, which has provided relief to the farmers.
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Claim of loan waiver of 86 lakh farmers
The Agriculture Minister said that after the formation of the government in 2017, a big step was taken under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to provide relief to the farmers. Under this, bank loans of about Rs 36 thousand crore of about 86 lakh farmers were waived off. According to Shahi, this process was implemented in a transparent manner. The objective of the government was not only to provide financial help, but also to bring the farmers out of the economic crisis and give them an opportunity for a new beginning.
Expansion of irrigation and farming facilities
The government has also emphasized on expansion of irrigation and resources to reduce the cost of farming and increase production. According to the Agriculture Minister:
- Canals that had been in disrepair for decades were repaired
- Incomplete irrigation projects were completed
- More than 30 lakh hectares of land was connected with irrigation facility.
- More than 92 thousand PM Kusum solar pumps were installed
- Farmers were given subsidy of up to 60 percent on these pumps.
Due to this, farmers have started getting irrigation facilities throughout the year and their dependence on electricity has also reduced.
Electricity bill waiver and sugarcane payment
The Agriculture Minister said that the tube well electricity bills of about 16 lakh farmers of the state were waived off. Apart from this, the government is bearing the electricity bill of about Rs 3600 crore. Regarding sugarcane farmers, he said that earlier the payment was stuck for many years, but till now the sugarcane price payment of more than Rs 3 lakh 15 thousand crore has been made. Also, the price of sugarcane has been increased from Rs 300 to Rs 400 per quintal.
Direct money into accounts from Kisan Samman Nidhi
The Agriculture Minister said that more than 3 crore farmers of Uttar Pradesh are registered under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme of the Central Government. So far, about Rs 99,500 crore has been sent directly to the bank accounts of farmers. Due to DBT system, the benefits of government schemes are reaching the farmers directly without middlemen.
Relief in crisis through crop insurance
To save farmers from natural disasters, assistance is also being provided under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana. According to the Agriculture Minister:
- In the last 9 years, 67 lakh 52 thousand farmers got the benefit of insurance.
- Total compensation given was more than Rs 5660 crore
- This year, Rs 532 crore was given to 5.39 lakh farmers in Kharif season.
- There is a plan to give about Rs 170 crore more by the end of March.
Record increase in food grain production
The government claims that agricultural production has also increased significantly in the last few years. According to the data:
- Food grain production in 2017 – 547 lakh metric tons
- Production in 2024-25 – 737 lakh metric tons
With this, Uttar Pradesh has today become the leading state of the country in food grain production. The state is also said to be at the top position in the country in milk, mango, wheat, paddy and sugarcane production.
Technology and new institutions in farming
Agriculture Minister Shahi said that work is also being done on new technologies to modernize farming. This includes increased use of agricultural equipment, drone technology and training programs for farmers. According to the government:
- 20 new agricultural science centers established
- A new agricultural university is being built in Kushinagar.
- Farmer welfare centers are also being built in the state.
- Arrangements for training and technical assistance have been made for farmers in many districts
Agriculture becomes the strong foundation of UP’s economy
The Agriculture Minister says that in the last 9 years, there have been changes in the agricultural system of Uttar Pradesh at many levels. There has been improvement in the condition of farmers in the field of agriculture due to production, technology, irrigation and financial assistance. According to him, the agriculture sector is no longer just a source of employment but is becoming a strong foundation of the state’s economy.
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