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Thursday / November 21. 2024
HomePosts Tagged "Krishi Bhawan"

Mr Philip Green, Australian High Commissioner calls on Secretary Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi at Krishi Bhawan New Delhi to explore platforms towards strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and allied sectors

Mr. Philip Green, the Australian High Commissioner paid a courtesy visit to Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary of the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare at Krishi Bhawan in New Delhi . The meeting provided an important platform to further strengthen the bilateral relationship between India and Australia and to explore new opportunities for collaboration in the agriculture and allied sectors.

During the meeting, Dr. Chaturvedi underscored the significance of the longstanding and multifaceted partnership between India and Australia, with particular focus on the agricultural sector. He outlined India’s current priorities in agriculture, emphasizing that the government is not only committed to ensuring food security but also to enhancing farmers’ incomes and improving nutritional security for the population. Dr. Chaturvedi highlighted key initiatives such as crop diversification, the promotion of exports, achieving self-sufficiency in oilseeds and pulses, and the strengthening of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) as vital components of India’s agricultural strategy. He also stressed the importance of technological advancements, including precision agriculture, the Digital Agriculture Mission, and the mechanization of small farms, in modernizing the sector. Additionally, he acknowledged the growing role of startups in driving innovation and transformation in agriculture.

Mr. Green, in turn, highlighted the importance of agriculture in Australia’s priorities and the potential for enhanced collaboration between the two nations. He expressed keen interest in exploring opportunities within the agritech sector and emphasized the importance of strengthening trade ties to further these objectives. Mr. Green stressed the need for continued engagement to identify and unlock new opportunities for trade and cooperation.

Both sides agreed on the importance of advancing collaboration across various areas, including agri-tech, horticulture, digital agriculture, and agricultural machinery.

Senior officials from the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, representatives from ICAR, and the Joint Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs also participated in the discussion, contributing valuable insights and enriching the dialogue.

Mr Philip Green, Australian High Commissioner

The regional conference held at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi, highlighted the importance of operationalizing SNA-SPARSH, for fostering growth, and supporting farmers across all regions of Northern States

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare held a regional conference at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi, to conduct a midterm review of agricultural schemes implemented by Northern States. Key officials from Punjab, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, and the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, and Delhi gathered to evaluate progress and address challenges in the effective implementation of these schemes. During the meeting, Secretary Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi urged states to expedite the execution of Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) by ensuring timely fund allocation and addressing issues related to state contributions and Single Nodal Account (SNA) balances.

The initiative focused on improving implementation of major schemes, including Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) and Krishonnati Yojana, where non-performing states were encouraged to enhance their efforts in the remaining months of the fiscal year. Dr. Chaturvedi also advised states to finalize the RKVY annual action plan for FY 2025-26 by December to enable timely release of the first installment by April, aiming to reduce previous delays in fund utilization. A comprehensive review of key initiatives took place, covering the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Mission for enhancing credit access, the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) for risk mitigation and expanded crop insurance, and the Digital Agriculture Mission for advancing data-driven agriculture. The conference highlighted the need for digital integration in crop surveys and the alignment of state land records with the Agristack to streamline operations under PM KISAN.

The meeting also discussed high-priority topics, including the National Edible Oils Mission, NABL accreditation for laboratories under the Insecticides Act, and the efficient use of the Krishi Nivesh Portal and Agricultural Infrastructure Fund (AIF) to foster sector growth.

Shri Ajeet Kumar Sahu, Joint Secretary (IC, Oilseeds & Credit), set the agenda for the review and welcomed delegates from the agriculture departments of Northern States, as well as representatives from allied departments including Tribal Affairs, NABARD, and Cooperation.

Senior officials from the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, including Additional Secretaries Ms. Manindar Kaur, Dr. Pramod Kumar Meherda, Mr. Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, Ms. Shubha Thakur, and Joint Secretaries Mr. Praveen Kumar Singh, Mr. Samuel Praveen Kumar, Ms. Perin Devi, Mr. Muktanand Agrawal, Mr. Prabhat Kumar, Mr. Binod Kumar, Mr. Priya Ranjan, and Mr. Purna Chandra Kishan, as well as representatives from the Ministry of Cooperation, NABARD, and the Department of Financial Services.were the other key attendees of the conference.

The regional conference held at Krishi Bhawan,

The government has decided to convert 150 villages around the Centers of Excellence into Villages of Excellence with technical assistance from Israel

Israeli Ambassador to India Naor Gilon called on the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar at Krishi Bhawan. Welcoming the Ambassador, Tomar congratulated him on taking over as the Ambassador of Israel to India. The minister expressed satisfaction at the functioning of 29 Centers of Excellence in 12 states which are producing more than 25 million vegetable plants, over 387 thousand quality fruit plants and can train more than 1.2 lakh farmers per year.

Tomar informed that it has been decided to convert 150 villages around the Centers of Excellence into Villages of Excellence with technical assistance from Israel, out of which 75 villages are being taken up in the first year to commemorate the 75th year of India’s independence where India and Israel will work together.

The Ambassador of Israel Gilon expressed satisfaction over the functioning of the Centers of Excellence, stating that these CoEs are a great example of cooperation between the two countries. The ambassador appreciated the working of ICAR institutes and showed interest in further collaboration with ICAR and making available the latest technologies available with Israel. He proposed the certification of CoEs to further enhance the standards and quality of services being provided to the farmers.

The government has decided to convert 150