Agricultural festival from April 20 in Gujarat

Gandhinagar, March 21 (UNI) In order to create harmony between farmers and the state administration, Gujarat government is organising a month-long agricultural festival from April 20.

''Agricultural festival-2005 and 2006 generated an income of Rs 3,000 crore and 3,800 crore respectively for the state government,'' Agriculture Minister Bhupendrasingh Chudasma informed the state assembly today.

''In this year's festival, the government will focus on agriculture, animal husbandary and fishery. That apart, all villages will be provided with soil health cards,'' Mr Chudasma said.

''We will also focus on the agricultural development in villages of 30 backward talukas. Farmers will be sensitised about the grading of agricultural produce, processing, value-addition etc, during the festival. Also, there will be distribution of 7,00,000 animal husbandary kits'' he said.

It may be recalled that in the agricultural festival of 2006, animal husbandary kits were distributed among 3.80 lakh farmers, soil health cards were distributed among 2.35 lakh farmers and thousands of check dams were built.

UNI