Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Pupala Saturday said that Narendra Modi is the only Prime Minister who has given importance to agriculture sector. Rupala was speaking after inaugurating the three-day Food and Agritech Expo organised by Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the International Exhibition and convention hall in Surat. State Education Minister Praful Pansheriya also remained present at the event. Addressing the gathering, Rupala said, “In his first speech as prime minister in the Parliament, Narendra Modi said that my government will be committed to poor and rural population. Since independence, Narendra Modi is the only prime minister who had given more importance to the agriculture sector. In ten years of UPA rule the total fund allocated for agriculture in the budget was Rs. 1.17 lakh crores. Modiji had in the last eight years deposited Rs. 2.20 lakh crore in the bank account of farmers across the country. In this year’s Union Budget, Rs. 1.31 lakh crore have been allocated for the agriculture sector, with an intention to make the agriculture sector strong.” He added, “From 1947 to 2014, the total fund allocated for the fishery sector was Rs 3,680 crores. Modiji has made this ministry independent and introduced Pradhan Mantri Matysa Sampada Yojna and allocated Rs 20,000 crore.” The union minister further claimed that during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the economic stability of different countries had gone down, it was only India’s position in economic growth rose from 6th to 5th. “Even the world had purchased Covid vaccines from us and this was only possible because the leadership of PM Narendra Modi,” he said. Rupala added, The world is shifting towards organic food. Modiji had requested to the United Nations to promote Millet and its high nutritious value. They considered it and announced the current year as Millet year.” Meanwhile, the three-day expo will see exhibitors for items including food and beverages, fashion, jewellery, household items, food products for pets, health and beauty products. SGCCI president Himanshu Bodawala said, “New technologies in the agriculture sector will also be exhibited which will benefit farmers so that they can get more yield and also improve the quality of their crops.”
