Agriculture and Farmers Welfare MoS concludes his maiden tour to Soreng district

SORENG, (IPR): The Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, BhagirathChoudhary, who is on a one day visit to Soreng district, attended an interaction meeting with HoDs, officers of Soreng district administration along with panchayats, members of SHGs and FPOs today at Rurban Complex, Soreng. The minister was accompanied by his spouse, AnjanaChoudhary.

The programme commenced with a Guard of Honour, followed by visits to stalls set up by various Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and Farmers Producers’ Organisations (FPOs) from Soreng district. The minister then performed the traditional lighting of the ceremonial lamp, after which Soreng DC DhirajSubedi delivered the welcome address.

In his address to the gathering, Union minister BhagirathChoudhary lauded Sikkim’s global recognition as an Organic Farming State, acknowledging its contribution as a model for sustainable agriculture. He underlined that agriculture and farming are key pillars of the nation’s development and highlighted several important government initiatives and focus areas for farmers’ welfare.

The minister stressed upon the implementation and strengthening of schemes such as the National Bamboo Mission, Pradhan MantriKrishiSinchayeeYojana (PMKSY), Soil Health Card Scheme, and Kisan Credit Card. He particularly emphasised the need for widespread soil testing and soil health cards to ensure better productivity and informed farming practices.

He also underscored the importance of boosting palm oil production and exports and encouraged farmers and FPOs to leverage opportunities in this sector. Highlighting the government’s commitment towards technological advancement, the Minister recommended the use of agricultural drones in hill terrains and urged FPOs to adopt digital devices and modern technologies in farming, which he said would prove highly beneficial for farmers in the long run.

Earlier, the Soreng DC presented a detailed overview of the district’s developmental progress under various flagship schemes. He highlighted the initiatives taken under the Aspirational District Programme (ADP), focusing on areas such as health and nutrition, education, agriculture and water resources, financial inclusion and social development, and basic infrastructure.

He also stressed on the impact of ADP and the Aspirational Block Programme under Soreng district, strengthening security infrastructure in schools, expansion of digital infrastructure, rainwater harvesting initiatives, cancer prevention and early detection measures and institutional support and caregiver development for Divyangjans.

Additionally, the DC showcased Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and highlighted unique district initiatives, including the ‘One Day at School’ campaign, ‘SwaachaPani, SwasthaHami’, organic fish farming cluster, and barren land cultivation under Soreng district.

A comprehensive agricultural profile of Soreng district was presented by deputy director (Agriculture) Manish Pradhan, in his presentation elaborated on the implementation of various central and state-sponsored agricultural schemes, such as: PM-KisanSammanNidhi (PM-KISAN), Pradhan MantriFasalBimaYojana (PMFBY), Per Drop More Crop, Soil Health Card Scheme, National Food Security Mission (NFSM) and Farm Schools under ATMA.

He also highlighted success stories of farmers from Soreng district, along with initiatives such as the farm machinery bank, kiwi production, and the orange nursery at the government horticulture farm. He further shared data on horticultural crop production, underscoring Soreng’s potential in fruits, vegetables, and floriculture.

The programme had an interactive session involving zillapanchayat members, panchayat representatives, heads of departments, and heads of offices, ASHAs, SHGs, fostering dialogue and exchange of ideas for future development of Soreng District.

Later, the minister visited Jautar Farm at Upper Singling, where he interacted with progressive farmers and took stock of their agricultural practices. He also visited the Anganwadi Centre at Upper Singling, followed by inspections of mushroom and chayote farming activities at Sribadam.

During the programme, the minister also distributed agricultural machines under the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation (SMAM) to 25 beneficiaries, aimed at enhancing farm efficiency and supporting mechanised farming practices in the district.

The programme had the presence of Rinchenpong MLA ErungTenzingLepcha, ZillaAdhakshyaTila Devi Gurung, zillapanchayat members, panchayat members, APS to CM Eras Lucksom, DC DhirajSubedi, SP Nahkul Pradhan, ADC-I DR Bista, ADC-II Santosh Kumar Allay, ADC (Dev) GaayasPega, SDMs, BDOs, heads of departments, officers and officials of various line departments, ASHA workers, members from SHGs and FPOs.