PM to inaugurate agri fair at Pusa campus on March 19

New Delhi, March 6: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate a three-day 'Krishi Unnati Mela' here on March 19 that would demonstrate modern farm technologies and government's new initiatives to more than one lakh farmers from across the country.

"The farmers' mela would be inaugurated by the Prime Minister. Over one lakh farmers from different parts of the country will be participating in the mela," a senior Agriculture Ministry official said.

The fair would be organised at the Pusa campus of Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) in Delhi.

There will be on-farm demonstration of new crop varieties and display of modern technologies and inputs. Both public and private companies will put up as many as 600 stalls in the fair, the official said.

State governments have been directed to sponsor participation of progressive farmers to attend the event, where workshops would be held in multi-languages to disseminate information about new farm technologies.

That apart, seminars with focus on the newly launched programmes like Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sichai Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, soil heart card scheme and organic farming would also be held.

The workshops and seminars would also aim at creating awareness among farmers about the government's budget proposals for the 2016-17 fiscal. IARI will also distribute 'Krishi Karman Awards' to states for exceptional growth in the farm sector.

Conceived and initiated in 1972, the fair continues to be an important annual event of IARI.

PTI