Farmers' welfare UP government's top priority: Yogi Adityanath

AMID WIDESPREAD protests against the three central farm laws in Punjab and Haryana, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday emphasised that farmers’ welfare and the growth of agriculture sector in the state are his government’s top priorities.

Adityanath was speaking at the inaugural session of India International Food and Agricultural Week.

Enlisting a slew of “pro-farmer measures” taken by the UP government, he said his government ensured that crop procurement went on without any disruption due to the coronavirus lockdown. The CM said while the Covid-19 pandemic has affected all sectors across the world, the “agriculture sector had lent speed to our economy”.

He also highlighted the potential of agriculture-based products of Uttar Pradesh in the international market, including “kala namak” rice, which has got geographical indication (GI) tag, mangoes and vegetables from eastern UP. He said there is great potential for export of “kala namak” rice from eastern Uttar Pradesh, especially in region surrounding Sidharthanagar, Gorakhpur, Deoria etc.