Puri, May 29 (UNI) Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday launched the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan, a 15-day nationwide campaign, from Sakhigopal in Puri aimed at ensuring that the country’s food reserves remain full.
Speaking at the launch event alongside Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Chouhan urged farmers to actively participate in the campaign. He said the initiative would promote modern agricultural technologies, awareness of government schemes, soil health, and natural farming.
Chouhan noted that the campaign, running until June 12, 2025, aims to engage 1.5 crore farmers across over 700 districts and 65,000 villages. The goal is to promote best practices in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Lab to Land” vision.
The campaign mobilizes 2,170 teams, including 3,749 agricultural scientists from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and 2,980 staff from Krishi Vigyan Kendras. These teams will visit villages to guide farmers on sustainable practices for the Kharif season.
According to the Union Minister, the initiative is designed to increase agricultural productivity, lower production costs, ensure fair prices, promote crop diversification, and encourage organic farming. It is expected to contribute to a 3–3.5 percent growth in India’s agricultural sector for the fiscal year 2025–26. He emphasized the campaign’s focus on bridging the gap between scientific research and farming practices, ensuring that innovations reach farmers directly to improve yields and reduce input costs.
Chouhan described the initiative as a collaborative effort under the guiding principle: “One Nation, One Agriculture, One Team.”
Before the launch, Chouhan offered prayers at the Shree Jagannath Temple, Puri highlighting the campaign’s spiritual and national importance in securing food abundance and boosting farmers’ incomes. He also announced plans to visit nearly 20 states to engage directly with both farmers and agricultural scientists.
