Bhubaneswar: Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday inaugurated a two-day national-level workshop called AgriVikas 2018 at Siksha O Anusandhan University.
Pradhan and other central ministers present at the event used the platform to highlight the Union government's efforts in the agriculture sector and slammed the state government for its apparent failure in helping it.
Pradhan said: "We wanted the Odisha government to be part of Agri Vikash Conclave. It would have been better as the state government is the executing agency for implementing various welfare programmes."
Pradhan also threw light on the initiatives undertaken by the Union government for improving agricultural income and economic development of the artisans.
Union MSME minister Giriraj Singh slammed the state government and said the time had come to throw out the Naveen Patnaik government. "It has failed in all sectors," he said.
Singh also provided suggestions on development of the farming sector. He said more than two lakh students are focused on agriculture and farm sector development in India. Union agriculture minister Gajendra Singh Sekhawat also criticized the Naveen Patnaik government for its failure to develop the agriculture sector.
Sekhawat shared how his ministry was promoting value addition to agricultural products. He envisioned promotion of a Kewda cluster promotion along the 480km coastline of Odisha.
Reacting to the Union ministers' comments against the Naveen Patnaik government, BJD spokesperson Pratap Deb said: "They are coming as campaigners of the BJP and not as ministers. We have received Krushi Karman Award four times."
The state government on Friday signed MoU with Jindal Stainless Limited and Gram Unnati Foundation for doubling farmers' income in Odisha over the next three years in nine districts.
At the AgriVikas conclave, five books were released. More than 100 kiosks were set up by agriculture entrepreneurs from across the country showcasing a wide range of agricultural equipment and know-how on new technology innovations.
Six Union ministries - agriculture, food processing, petroleum and natural gas, skill development and entrepreneurship, commerce and industry, and micro small and medium enterprises supported the event.
More than 1,000 participants including farmers, horticulturists, agriculture scientists, agricultural entrepreneurs, and students from all districts of Odisha as well as other states took part in the programme.
