Punjab CM congratulates noted horticulturist Harkirat Ahluwalia

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today congratulated noted horticulturist Harkirat Ahluwalia for being selected for the World Agri Tourism Awards-2018.

In his congratulatory message, the chief minister said it was a matter of pride for the state that 'Ahluwalias Citrus County Farm Stays' was chosen for the award, in recognition of its immense contribution towards the promotion of rural tourism through its innovative and modern agri-techniques.

The World Agri Tourism Awards-2018 would be given to Ahluwalia at the National Agri Tourism Conference on 11th World Agri Tourism Day to be held on May 16, 2018 in Mumbai.

The chief minister pointed out that initiative of farm stays by the Ahluwalia family at Chaunni Kalan village on the outskirts of Hoshiarpur had set a benchmark in farm tourism, besides motivating his peers to opt for rural tourism, which had a huge potential to transform the fortunes of farmers grappling with the agrarian crisis.

The chief minister said that this was all the more important in the current farming scenario due to squeezed margins of profitability from conventional crops and ever-increasing costs of agri-inputs.

Reiterating his governments commitment to uplift the peasantry by taking pro-farmer initiatives, the chief minister said that a comprehensive plan to boost rural tourism across the state, with active participation of all stakeholders, was on top agenda.