SHILLONG: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has exhorted farmers of Meghalaya to strive for achieving the organic status.
Addressing 681 Krishi Vigyan Kendras in the country through live telecasting on Saturday, Modi said farmers in the state have broken a five-year record of yields during 2015-16.
“The state of the cohort, the small area, has shown a great job,” he added.
The live telecast of Modi’s speech was made during the Krishi Unnati Mela 2018, organised by ICAR Research Complex in collaboration with the Zonal Technology Management Unit of the institute. The theme of the programme was ‘Drive to doubling farmers’ income’. The programme was aimed at making farmers aware of the various technologies used in the primary sector. The speech was translated in the local language for local farmers’ convenience.
Emphasising the role of such events in forming ‘New India’, Modi, who addressed around 7 lakh farmers across the country, said Krishi Unnati Mela should be organised in far-flung areas like the North East where farmers can get better exposure to contribute to the second “green revolution”. He mentioned scientists as the second pillar of the ‘New India’ movement.
The keynote address was given by Umroi MLA George B. Lyngdoh who said the region should collaborate with ICAR so that hurdles on the way of achieving the organic status can be removed.
BJP state president Shibun Lyngdoh was the special guest on the occasion. He too highlighted the importance of organic farming and maintaining healthy soil. He said Meghalaya should aim for becoming an organic state and the soil health of the region should be improved.
