Union Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chauhan gave an exclusive interview to India TV and spoke about the wide range of issues related to his ministry. During the interview, Shivraj Singh Chauhan was asked a variety of questions about farming and development in rural areas, in response to which Shivraj Singh Chauhan said that the objective of PM Narendra Modi is to build a developed India for which PM Modi is working hard. Today there is a lot of emphasis on solar energy, as the government wants to turn the food-provider nation into an energy-provider one.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan on farmers' protest, rural development
On the hot issue of farmers' protests, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that the government will focus on solution through dialogue with everyone and if a problem arises then they will talk with farmers and find a solution together. He also emphasised that farmers will have to come together to build a developed India.
On the issue of Rural development, Shivraj Singh said that PM Modi has already prepared a road map. The ministry is going to start the fourth phase of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana under which new roads will be built for the remaining villages whose population reached 500 in 2011 and tribal areas whose population was 250. 2 crore new houses will be built in rural areas and one crore in urban areas for the poor.
Role of women in agriculture
Shivraj Singh was also asked about the role of women in the agricultural sectors, to which he replied that along with being farmers, women are also the biggest force supporting farming and therefore the government has started many types of schemes like Krishi Sakhi, Drone Didi. He said that the ministry is also training Krishi Sakhi sisters in natural farming, who upon getting training will teach natural farming to the farmers in the village.
'Annadata should become urja data;: Shivraj Singh
Shivraj Singh also took questions on power use and generation in the agri sector. He said that PM Modi wants to build a developed India and he is wholeheartedly involved in it. And for a developed India, developed farming is necessary. Now PM Modi is focusing on electricity in farming. Shivraj said that PM talked about how solar energy can be stored in the fields of farmers through the sun's energy and if the farmer produces excess electricity, how can we sell it by feeding it in the grid.
He said that 'Annadaata (food provider) should also become Urja Data (energy provider)'. Shivraj said that PM Kusum Yojana has been made for this with three types of models. The farmers can now install solar panel and solar pump to use electricity for irrigation and earn money by feeding it into the grid, Minister Shivraj said.
Calling the PM visionary, the Union Minister said that he did not talk about waiving the electricity bill but made such a plan that the farmer can install a solar panel at their house under PM Surya Free Electricity Scheme and generate electricity reducing their amount of bill to zero.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan on natural farming
On the efforts for natural farming, Shivraj Singh Chauhan said that PM Modi is engaged in saving the earth for the coming generations. Chouhan said that he has seen the PM's desire to save the earth which is not normal. During the interview, Shivraj Singh Chauhan said that the govt is going to start natural farming on 7.5 lakh hectares.
