Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 14 May: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami today directed the officials to prepare a three-year action plan for developing one model agricultural and horticultural village in every development block of Uttarakhand. Chairing a meeting of the Uttarakhand Agricultural Produce Marketing Board at his camp office here, today, the CM observed that the initiative would strengthen farmers’ incomes, promote organic farming, integrate scientific techniques and improve marketing systems.
The CM instructed that the selection of villages must be based on local geography, climate, soil quality and regional needs, ensuring that the crops most suited to each area are identified and promoted. He emphasised that, by combining traditional knowledge with modern agricultural practices, the rural economy can be significantly strengthened. He asked the Board to prepare a detailed plan for the next three years with farmers’ interests as the foremost priority, focusing on increasing production, reducing costs and ensuring higher incomes.
He directed that large-scale agricultural workshops and training programmes be organised across the state with the support of Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology (GBPUAT), Pantnagar, and other related institutions. Farmers should be provided with advanced techniques, improved methods of cultivation and access to high-quality plants, seeds and fertilisers. He laid special emphasis on promoting oilseed crops such as mustard, sesame, sunflower and soybean, highlighting the need to raise awareness among farmers to encourage diversification and better economic returns.
Dhami also called for encouraging the use of biogas plants and solar-powered pumps, and assured that the farmers would be given full support in marketing their produce. He stressed the importance of digital platforms for sales and training, and directed that special efforts be made to expand organic farming. He said that more farmers must be connected to the Lab-to-Land initiative so that research and technological innovations directly benefit them.
Among those present on the occasion were by Uttarakhand Mandi Parishad chairman Dr Anil Kumar Dabbou, Agriculture Secretary Dr SN Pandey, additional secretary Banshidhar Tiwari and other officials from departments concerned.
