Raman Singh lauds Chhattisgarh farmers

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on Sunday praised the farmers for the growth in the state's agricultural sector, saying their hard work and the Centre's schemes have bolstered the production.

"It is because of the Chhattisgarh farmers' hard work and government's policies and schemes, the lives of farmers have improved," Singh said at the closing ceremony of Agriculture Fair here, and added that the farmers' hard work and use of technology have helped Chhattisgarh win the Krishi Karman Award four times.

Praising the fair for its role in bettering the lives of farmers, Singh said, "Lakhs of farmers benefit from coming here. They consult the experts and discuss ways to make the Prime Minister's idea of doubling the income of farmers by 2022 a reality."

"The exhibition tells you how to connect with the government's schemes. The new technique, the new innovation you learn in this exhibition that the farmers here are inculcating in their work is extraordinary," he added.

The impact is evident in the fact that the grain and rice produce of Chhattisgarh goes to the Public Distribution System (PDS) of six states, Singh said.

"Today, the state's farmers take Rs 3,400 crore without interest from the cooperative banks. Chhattisgarh is the only state to achieve this, and it also gives 7,500 unit of electricity at zero cost to the farmers," he added.

The chief minister also said the state government gave Rs 2,100 crore bonus to its farmers.