UP Govt Aims to Transform Rural Landscape in Purvanchal, Bundelkhand: CM

Lucknow, Aug 5 (PTI) Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath met World Bank representatives on Monday as the state government is set to launch a programme for increasing crop productivity and developing clustered for groundnut, chilli and other crops.

To rejuvenate the agriculture sector and encourage agriculture-based industries, the Uttar Pradesh government is set to launch the "Agriculture Development and Rural Entrepreneurship Strengthening (UP-AGREES)" programme, a release said on Monday.

Under this scheme, efforts will be made to increase crop productivity and develop clusters for crops like groundnut, chilli, and green peas, as well as new clusters for related industries to boost exports, it said.

The government said it plans to send farmers to different countries for training in new technologies and will also provide financial support to the agriculture sector.

This project, initiated with the help of the World Bank, aims to offer comprehensive technical assistance and infrastructure access to farmers, farmer-producer organizations (FPOs), and agricultural entrepreneurs.

In an important meeting with World Bank representatives on Monday, the Chief Minister highlighted that Uttar Pradesh, with over 187.70 lakh hectares of agricultural land, is the only state where farming is practiced on 76 per cent of the total available land.

"Whether it's manpower, availability of pure water, or diverse climatic zones, Uttar Pradesh has every potential to be the powerhouse of the country's agriculture sector," Adityanath stated.

"Bundelkhand, which holds 7 per cent of the state's population, contributes just 5.5 per cent to agricultural production. Our goal with this project should be to develop the agricultural food system in these regions in a climate-resilient and commercially viable manner," he added.

He proposed establishing an export hub near Jewar Airport in Gautam Buddh Nagar to enhance agricultural exports.

Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh said, "As discussed with World Bank representatives, this six-year project, valued at approximately Rs 4,000 crore, will directly benefit farmers, farmer groups, fish farmers, and MSME units related to agriculture."

He explained that the UP AGREES project will be implemented in 21 districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh and 7 districts of Bundelkhand. The project will provide direct assistance to 10 lakh farmers, including 30 per cent women farmers, and support over over lakh fishermen families.

Additionally, 500 farmers will be taken abroad to learn about advanced agricultural techniques. "The project aims to boost per capita income and the CD ratio in these districts," the top bureaucrat added.