*Cooperatives Key to Empowering Farmers and Realising Viksit Bharat-2047- Shyam Singh Rana*

*Cooperation Will Pave the Way for Prosperity and Self-Reliance, Empower Farmers- Agriculture Minister*

*Natural Farming Will Reduce Cultivation Costs and Increase Farmers’ Income*

Chandigarh, September 18 – Haryana Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Fisheries and Animal Husbandry Minister, Sh. Shyam Singh Rana, said that promoting cooperatives is essential to realise the vision of making India a developed nation by 2047. Cooperation leads to prosperity, prosperity to self-reliance, and self-reliance to empowered farmers, ultimately strengthening both the State and the nation.

The Agriculture Minister was addressing a district-level seminar on cooperation organised by the Haryana State Cooperative Development Federation under the Cooperative Awareness Campaign in Jagadhri, Yamunanagar, on Friday.

Sh. Shyam Singh Rana said that cooperatives have an important role in the country’s progress and in economically empowering citizens. To further strengthen India on the global stage, the spirit of cooperation needs to be embraced on a wider scale. He said that Union Home Minister, Sh. Amit Shah, is working earnestly to promote the cooperative movement across the country.

Calling upon farmers to adopt natural farming, the Agriculture Minister said that in view of limited agricultural land and rising cultivation costs, dependence on expensive pesticides and chemical fertilisers needs to be reduced. Natural farming has become a necessity in the changing scenario, and its adoption will help reduce cultivation costs and increase farmers’ income.

He said that the Haryana Government is continuously working towards the economic upliftment of farmers and making them self-reliant. The Government aims to enable farmers to become self-reliant and capable by embracing cooperatives. Farmers are being provided agricultural implements on subsidy, besides special facilities for agricultural loans. Several schemes are also being implemented to promote natural farming.

Former Cabinet Minister, Sh. Kanwar Pal Gurjar, and other dignitaries, officers, farmers and villagers were present on the occasion.