Farming as industry: Agri-horti output to be boosted through innovations, advanced technologies: MP CM
Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Saturday, announced a series of transformative initiatives aimed at boosting agricultural productivity, improving rural livelihoods, and making farmers self-reliant in energy and income. Addressing the ‘Krishi Udyog Samagam: 2025’ in Mandsaur district, CM Yadav emphasised the state’s rapid economic progress, citing NITI Aayog’s assessment that Madhya Pradesh is the fastest-growing state in the country. CM Yadav said the government aims to make farmers self-reliant in electricity, enabling them to generate power through solar energy. “Under the initiative, 32 Lakh solar pumps (2, 3, and 5 HP) will be distributed over the next three years, with farmers contributing just 10 per cent of the cost and the remaining amount subsidised by the state”, the CM said. Farmers can use this power for irrigation, domestic needs, and sell surplus electricity to the government, he said. The Chief Minister said the government is offering a 25 per cent subsidy for dairy farmers with 25 cattle, extendable to 200, aiming to boost the state’s milk share from 9 per cent to 20 per cent. “A home with a cow is a Gokul,” he said, underscoring the cultural and economic importance of cattle rearing.
CM Yadav outlined broader goals to modernise agriculture by blending foreign innovations with local ingenuity. He reiterated the government’s commitment to transforming farming into an industry, ensuring fair prices, promoting food processing, and branding Madhya Pradesh’s produce, including oranges and bananas. Appealing to farmers to avoid stubble burning, CM Yadav said satellite monitoring would track incidents, and machines for residue management would be subsidised. He also highlighted the transformative potential of the PKC river-linking project, which will ensure irrigation water reaches every field in the Ujjain division. On the infrastructure front, Yadav inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for development projects worth Rs 95 crore, including new Sandipani schools and roadworks in the region. He also visited a large agricultural exhibition showcasing modern farming tools and techniques. In a symbolic gesture, the Chief Minister honoured 22 women farmers, several innovative cultivators, and sarpanches of 148 TB-free gram panchayats. At the event, CM Yadav said prosperous farmers and advanced agriculture define Madhya Pradesh, highlighting food processing as key to industrial growth and farmer income, and credited PM Modi’s leadership for investor-friendly policies.
The CM launched 11 agro-industrial units worth Rs 3,812 crore, expected to generate 6,850 local jobs. He handed over Letters of Intent to investors and assured full support to industries. The CM announced plans to decentralise investment summits to districts to widen industrial reach. The event was addressed by Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Deora and Ministers Narayan Singh Kushwaha, Adal Singh Kansana and Nirmala Bhuria. Chief Secretary Anurag Jain noted that agriculture contributes 44 per cent to the state’s GDP, with irrigation expansion driving growth.
