Jaipur, April 10 Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma said on Friday that the state government is committed to developing a robust agricultural ecosystem to increase farmers' income and promote modern farming practices.
Addressing the curtain-raiser event of the Global Rajasthan Agritech Meet (GRAM 2026), Sharma said the three-day event will be held in Jaipur from May 23 to 25 and will provide a platform for farmers, scientists, investors, and policymakers to interact and discuss farmer welfare and empowerment.
He said farmers will gain exposure to the latest agricultural technologies and global farming practices during the meeting.
To ensure wider outreach, the chief minister said awareness vehicles will be sent to gram panchayat levels from April 15 to promote schemes related to farmer welfare and gather feedback through suggestion boxes.
Sharma said that Rajasthan ranks first in the production of millets, mustard, oilseeds, barley, and guar, second in moong and groundnut, and third in soybean.
He advised farmers to adopt scientific farming methods, limit the use of chemical fertilizers, and rely on soil testing to maintain soil fertility.
He also emphasized the adoption of modern irrigation techniques such as sprinklers for water conservation.
Highlighting government initiatives, Sharma said micro-irrigation systems have been installed across 4.8 lakh hectares, while 12,476 water storage structures and 32,918 km of irrigation pipelines have been developed in the state.
He said over 12 lakh animals have been insured free of cost under the Mukhyamantri Mangla Pashu Bima Yojana, while mobile veterinary services have treated around 60 lakh animals, benefiting more than 15 lakh livestock owners.
The chief minister said that under the Mukhyamantri Dugdh Utpadak Sambal Yojana, dairy farmers are being given an incentive of Rs 5 per litre.
He added that investment proposals worth over Rs 43,000 crore have been signed in the agriculture sector under the Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit.
Referring to farmer welfare schemes, Sharma said the state government provides an additional Rs 3,000 under the Mukhyamantri Kisan Samman Nidhi over and above the Rs 6,000 given under the Centre's PM-Kisan scheme, with plans to increase the total assistance to Rs 12,000.
Agriculture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena said that the government is encouraging farmers to adopt modern techniques and move beyond traditional farming practices.
He said GRAM 2026 will enable farmers to interact with global experts and gain knowledge of advanced agricultural technologies.
Senior officials, including Chief Secretary V Srinivas, and other dignitaries were present at the event.
