Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday visited the Krishi Unnati Mela at the IARI Mela Ground, Pusa Campus, in New Delhi.

Modi visited the theme pavilion, and the Jaivik Mela Kumbh.

He laid the Foundation Stone for 25 Krishi Vigyan Kendras. He also launched an e-marketing portal for organic products.

He gave away the Krishi Karman Awards and the Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Krishi Protsahan Puraskar.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said that such Unnati Melas play a key role in paving the way for New India. He said that today, he has the opportunity to simultaneously speak to two sentinels of New India – farmers and scientists. He said farmers and scientists have to work together to transform agriculture.

The Prime Minister specially mentioned the State of Meghalaya, which received an award for its achievements in agriculture, in the period under review.

The Prime Minister appreciated the spirit and the hard work of our farmers, for their achievements in agriculture since independence. He said that today, there is record production of foodgrains, pulses, fruits and vegetables, and milk.

He said that there are important challenges in agriculture today, which reduce the farmer’s income, and increase his losses and expenditure.

Modi said the Government is working with a holistic approach to deal with these challenges. He said the aim remains to double farmers’ incomes, and make the farmers’ lives easier.