UP CM Honors Chaudhary Charan Singh's Legacy on Kisan Diwas
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{ "title": "UP CM Honors Chaudhary Charan Singh's Legacy on Kisan Diwas", "article": Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath paid tribute to former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh on his 123rd birth anniversary, observed as Kisan Diwas. The Chief Minister attended the 'Kisan Samman Diwas' programme in Lucknow, where he noted that Singh dedicated his life to the welfare of the country, its villages, and its farmers. Adityanath recalled Singh's commitment to empowering rural India, citing his key roles in land reforms, the abolition of the zamindari system, and the enactment of the mandi law to protect farmers from exploitation. Singh also introduced tax relief for small and marginal farmers, exempted fertilizers from sales tax, and established the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). Born in Meerut's Noorpur in 1902, Charan Singh served as India's Prime Minister from July 28, 1979, to January 14, 1980. He also previously served as Uttar Pradesh's Chief Minister. During the event, Adityanath handed over tractor keys to beneficiaries under various farmer welfare schemes and flagged off the vehicles. The Chief Minister praised the dedication of farmers, saying their hard work turns the soil into food production regardless of the weather. He highlighted the state's achievements in agricultural productivity, citing a 20% increase in the past eight years. Uttar Pradesh has also paid around ₹75,000 crore more to sugarcane farmers in the last eight years than the total paid between 1996 and 2017. To support farmers, the state government has waived loans of farmers using 16 lakh private tubewells and provides annual financial support of ₹3,600 crore to the power corporation. Additionally, interest rates on cooperative loans have been reduced from 11.5 per cent to six per cent. Adityanath also announced plans for an advanced tissue culture laboratory in Barabanki to support crops like sugarcane, banana, and potato, and the development of a modern seed park in Lucknow, expected to raise production by up to 30 per cent. The Chief Minister concluded by noting the state's commitment to supporting farmers and promoting agricultural growth.
