Chandigarh, September 14 – Haryana’s Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shyam Singh Rana announced that the state will observe Seva Pakhwada from September 17 to October 2. During this period, the Agriculture, Horticulture, and Fisheries Departments will jointly organize awareness programs to inform farmers about welfare schemes and encourage natural farming.
The minister, who chaired a review meeting with departmental officers in Chandigarh today, said the fortnight-long campaign beginning on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday and concluding on Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary will serve as a major medium to connect government schemes directly with farmers.
Rana instructed officials to turn the campaign into a mass movement, reaching out to villages and engaging farmers through direct dialogue. He directed departments to organize exhibitions on crop diversification, advanced farming techniques, new seed varieties, and innovative planting methods. Farmers will also be sensitized about fisheries, horticulture practices, soil health cards, micro-irrigation, and schemes like Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi and Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.
Calling farmers the nation’s food providers, Rana emphasized that timely information and technical assistance are the government’s responsibility. He urged departments to prioritize increasing the income of small farmers. District and block-level workshops will also be held to showcase modern farm equipment, water conservation techniques, and improved seeds, while the Fisheries and Horticulture Departments will highlight their respective schemes.
The minister said Seva Pakhwada must not remain limited to sharing information but should aim at making farmers self-reliant and increasing their income. He urged officers to listen to farmers’ issues on priority and ensure immediate solutions.
Rana also directed regular cleanliness drives at grain and vegetable markets and procurement centers during the campaign. Dustbins will be placed outside shops to maintain hygiene. He stressed awareness about fisheries schemes under PMMSY and PMMKSSY to help unemployed youth and farmers utilize village ponds for fish farming and livelihood enhancement.
The meeting was attended by Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department Principal Secretary Pankaj Agarwal along with senior officers of the Horticulture and Fisheries Departments.
