Agriculture alone cannot increase farmers’ income: Shivraj Singh Chouhan
Bhopal: Union Agriculture Minister and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday said that farmers cannot rely solely on agriculture to increase their income and must adopt allied activities such as dairy and animal husbandry.
Speaking at a Kisan Sangosthi organised by the National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) in Vidisha, Chouhan told a large gathering of farmers, including those from Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Scheduled Castes (SC), that diversification is essential for sustainable earnings.
“In today’s time, farmers can’t solely depend on agriculture to increase their income. Other activities should be adopted. Milk production and cow rearing will help a lot, especially for farmers who have smaller landholdings,” Chouhan said.
He added that animal husbandry has proven to be an effective tool for enhancing rural incomes and highlighted that NDRI workshops are providing exclusive training to farmers in this sector.
After the programme, Chouhan met women farmers and received their blessings.
Known popularly as ‘Mama’ for his Ladli Laxmi Yojana launched in 2007 and the Ladli Behna Yojana in 2022, the BJP leader also planted a sapling in Bhopal earlier in the day, continuing his daily routine of promoting environmental awareness.
Meanwhile, his arrival in Bhopal and the sudden increase in security cover sparked speculation. Party sources clarified that the enhanced security was part of a routine exercise following a periodic review by the Union Home Ministry. Instructions were issued to both the Madhya Pradesh and Delhi governments to strengthen his protection, a BJP spokesperson said.
