ICAR-IISR KVK Lakhimpur Khiri-II Inaugurated

ICAR-IISR, Lucknow organized a Kisan Mela- Cum - Inauguration of KVK-II and Kisan Gosthi on Doubling of Farmers Income under SCSP at Institute KVK-II at Majhira in Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh on 28.02.2024. Mr Ajay Mishra Taini, Union Minister of State, Home Affairs, Govt of India and the local MP inaugurated the ICAR-IISR KVK Lakhimpur Khiri-II Administrative Building in the presence of Sri Surya Pratap Sahi, Hon'ble Minister of Agriculture (Agriculture, Agri. Education and Research) and Dr. R. Viswanathan, Director, ICAR-IISR, Lucknow and Dr. R.K. Singh, ADG (Agril. Extension), ICAR, New Delhi on 28.02.2024. The other dignitaries present on the occasion were local MLAs; Smt. Manju Tyagi, Hon'ble MLA Srinagar constituency and Sri Yogesh Verma, Hon'ble MLA of Sadar constituency; Sri Anil Kumar Singh, CDO Lakhimpur Khiri and number of district and block level officials. The Chief Guests also visited the premises and obtained the necessary information about the KVK activities. A Kisan Mela for the farmers from the district Lakhimpur Khiri was organized on this occasion. A Kisan Goshthi/ scientists-farmers meet and the demonstration of advanced farm machinery were also organized and these were the main attractions of this Kisan Mela. The chief guest and other dignitaries also visited the Kisan Gosthi sthal and addressed about 1000 farmers and officials present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Surya Pratap Sahi, Minister of Agri, Ag. Edu and Res., Govt of UP highlighted that Lakhimpur Khiri is the special district as it is having two KVKs. The farmers will get the facility of improved seeds, new technology and other technical knowhow from this KVK. The information about the control of insect-pests and diseases will also be obtained by the farmers. The sugarcane farming in the district will be benefitted more as it is under the administrative control of National level Sugarcane Research Institute at Lucknow. He highlighted that present government is doing a lot for increasing the income of the farmers and the overall welfare of the farmers. More subsidies are being given under different schemes, more so in harnessing solar power. Mr. Sahi also distributed prizes and certificates to the progressive farmers.

Mr Ajay Mishra Taini, Union Minister of State, Home Affairs, Govt of India emphasized that the district is known for sugarcane cultivation as it growing sugarcane in more than 2.00 Lac ha area, even more than many states like Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat. He also highlighted that he is committed for the development of the agriculture in the district as being the local MP from Lakhimpur Khiri and also emphasized that under the able guidance of the Hon'ble Prime Minister, more efforts are yet to be made for the welfare of the farmers in the district. Local MLAs; Smt. Manju Tyagi, Hon'ble MLA from Srinagar constituency and Sri Yogesh Verma, Hon'ble MLA of Sadar constituency also welcomed the guests and addressed the gathering.

Dr. R. Viswanathan, Director, ICAR-IISR, Lucknow welcomed the guests by presenting a bouquet of flowers and mementos to the them. He also welcomed the farmers present in the Kisan Gosthi and briefed them about the activities of the Institute and how the Institute may help the sugarcane farming through this KVK.

Dr. R.K. Singh, ADG (Ag. Extension), ICAR-New Delhi also addressed the gathering and briefed about the mandated activities being carried out by the KVKs in the country.

In the farmers-scientists meet /kisan gosthi organized, the information about new technologies was given to the farmers by number of Institute scientists. The Institute scientists who spoke on the occasion were Dr. Dinesh Singh, PC (Sugarcane), Dr. V.P. Singh (Head, Crop Production Division), Dr. A.K. Dubey, Head, KVK, Lucknow and SMSs from KVK Lakhimpur Khiri.

Demonstration of advanced farm machinery to the farmers was also organized in collaboration with the Agril. Deptt of Uttar Pradesh. In the demonstration of machines, the display of the machinery available with the progressive farmers such as "the machine for collecting the cane trash and other crop residues in the fields" and "the machine for binding the crop residues into bales" was also organized.

The farmers also got connected with the vitual programme of the PM in Yavatmal in Maharashtra from where the 16th installment of Kisan Samman Nidhi was released. More than 4 lakh farmers from Lakhimpur Khiri district received the 16th installment of amount Rs. 2000 each. The programme continued till late evening.