- Dr. Om Prakash Dahariya
- Assistant Public Relations Officer
The country is celebrating its 80th Independence Day. This occasion not only celebrates the pride of independence, but also the continuous journey of development that has given a new direction to India’s agricultural sector. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri Vishnudev Sai, the Chhattisgarh government has, over the past two and a half years, launched a comprehensive campaign to transform agriculture from being limited to production alone, to modernizing, transparent, technology-based, and farmer-centric. Under the guidance of Agriculture Development and Farmers Welfare Minister Shri Ramvichar Netam and the direction of Agriculture Production Commissioner Shri Siddharth Komal Singh Pardeshi, the Agriculture Department has developed a model for providing quality agricultural inputs to farmers, through continuous monitoring of fertilizers, transparent distribution system, and quality control, which is being discussed nationally. The government is committed to making Chhattisgarh’s farmers self-reliant and prosperous.
The state government’s priority has been to ensure timely availability of certified fertilizers and seeds to farmers, ensuring they do not suffer losses due to black marketing, hoarding, or counterfeit fertilizers. As a result of this approach, against the target of 48.69 lakh hectares in Kharif 2026, sowing has been completed in 45.62 lakh hectares, or approximately 94 percent, by August 11th. So far, 11.23 lakh metric tons of fertilizers and 4.55 lakh quintals of certified seeds have been distributed to farmers. By stocking 15.83 lakh metric tons of fertilizers against the target of 15.55 lakh metric tons, the state has ensured that no farmer faces a fertilizer shortage. Chief Minister Shri Vishnudev Sai has personally instructed officials to ensure easy and easy availability of certified fertilizers and seeds to farmers as per their needs, and strict action will be taken against any negligence. Along with this, with the aim that farmers do not face any problem in farming, the work of making farmers aware about liquid nano fertilizer as an alternative to solid chemical fertilizer is also being done through the department.
Chhattisgarh’s most notable achievement in the agricultural sector has been its fertilizer quality control system. Under the leadership of Agriculture Production Commissioner Shri Siddharth Komal Singh Pardeshi, the department launched a massive campaign against counterfeit and substandard fertilizers. Enforcement actions increased 11.20-fold in 2026 compared to 2025, with total actions rising from 44 to 493 cases. Court cases increased from 4 to 65, seizures from 2 to 107, license suspensions from 3 to 106, license revocations from 2 to 15, and sales bans from 33 to 189. The registration of eleven FIRs for the first time is a testament to the department’s zero-tolerance policy. These strict measures strengthened farmers’ confidence and made the supply system of agricultural inputs more transparent.
The impact of the government’s farmer-friendly policies is not limited to fertilizers. Through the Krishak Unnati Yojana, approximately 25.52 lakh farmers were provided assistance of ₹35,892.90 crore through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) from Kharif 2023 to Kharif 2025. Under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, 24.63 lakh farmers received over ₹493 crore as the 23rd installment. For the convenience of farmers, schemes have been made more transparent and effective by expanding AgriStack, e-KYC, and digital services.
To modernize agriculture, the state government has placed special emphasis on agricultural mechanization, micro-irrigation, and natural farming. So far, modern agricultural equipment has been provided to 7,745 farmers, and 568 farm machinery banks have been established. Under the Prime Minister’s Agricultural Irrigation Scheme, drip and sprinkler irrigation has been expanded to approximately 41,967 hectares. Environmental protection and low-cost farming have been encouraged by connecting more than 57,000 farmers to natural farming.
The state has also made significant progress in the areas of horticulture, animal husbandry, and fisheries. The acreage under horticultural crops has increased to 8.91 lakh hectares. Oil palm and bamboo plantations have also seen significant growth, while infrastructure such as high-tech nurseries, pack houses, and cold storage is being rapidly developed. In animal husbandry, milk production, dairy payment systems, and mobile veterinary services have expanded, while fish production has increased by approximately 23 percent to 9.59 lakh tonnes, placing Chhattisgarh among the leading fish-producing states in the country.
Notable achievements have also been made in the field of agricultural marketing and infrastructure. Twenty-one markets in the state have been linked to the National Agriculture Market (e-NAM), and against a target of Rs 1,900 crore under the Agricultural Infrastructure Fund, Rs 3,026 crore has been achieved. The entire seed production and certification process has been made online, and the NABL accreditation of the Government Seed Testing Laboratory in Raipur is a testament to the state’s scientific agricultural system.
At this historic juncture of 79 years of independence, Chhattisgarh’s agricultural landscape clearly indicates that the government’s planned policies, effective administration, transparent systems, and sensitive approach towards farmers have provided new energy to agriculture. The availability of quality fertilizers, strict quality control, expansion of digital services, incorporation of modern technologies, and effective implementation of farmer-centric schemes are taking the state’s agricultural development to new heights. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri Vishnudev Sai, the guidance of Agriculture Minister Shri Ramvichar Netam, and the administrative leadership of Agriculture Production Commissioner Shri Siddharth Komal Singh Pardeshi, Chhattisgarh is emerging as a strong example towards a self-reliant, modern, and prosperous agricultural system.
