Agriculture to be made profitable: CM

Bhopal, Apr 02: Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that agriculture could be made profitable by preserving available water. Water was never more precious as it is today. The water crisis could be resolved by retaining water of village in the village and water of farms in the farms.

Chouhan was inaugurating a state level Jal Abhishek Sammelan at village Gamakhar in Ganj Basoda of Vidisha district on Wednesday. The Minister for Finance Raghavji was chief guest and Member of Parliament Rampal Singh was special guest on the occasion. Chouhan said that the need of the hour is to develop Jal Abhishek Abhiyan into a popular movement. Water structures have been constructed at a cost of Rs 2650 crore so far under the Abhiyan in the state. Additional irrigation potential for 2.50 lakh hectare has been created. Besides, 1.50 lakh nullahs, bori bundings and 40,000 wells have been constructed. He said that over 94,000 farm-ponds have been constructed with community participation. He hoped that this year also the Jal Abhishek Abhiyan would meet its targets.

Referring to the efforts being made to turn agriculture into a lucrative proposition the Chief Minister said that steps have been taken to reduce the cost of farming and to ensure remunerative prices to the farmers of their produce. The farmers have been given concession in payment of pending electricity bills. The Chief Minister said that the survey of damage caused by frost and hailstorm to crops is in progress and the relief amount would be distributed soon.

The Chief Minister dwelt at length on social sector schemes implemented by the state government including Ladali Laxami Yojana, Gaon Ki Beti Yojana, Janani Suraksha and Mukhya Mantri Majdoor Suraksha Yojana. He presented sanction letters and cheques to the beneficiaries of various schemes. He performed the Bhoomi Pujan for construction of five stop dams to be constructed at a cost of Rs one crore. He also performed Pujan of 588 Kalashas under Jal Abhishek Abhiyan on the banks of Betwa River and handed them over to the panchayats.