Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and Agriculture Minister, Vijay Kumar Sinha inaugurating a function in Darbhanga.
By A Correspondent
Darbhanga: The historic land of Darbhanga on Thursday witnessed the grand and spirited conclusion of the “Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan (Closing Ceremony) – cum – Sharadiya (Kharif) Krishi Jan Kalyan Chaupal 2025”. The occasion was graced by the esteemed presence of Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and Agriculture Minister, Vijay Kumar Sinha.
The primary aim of the programme was to provide farmers with access to technical knowledge, connect them with government schemes, and familiarise them with agricultural innovations.
The Deputy Chief Minister stated that under the leadership of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar’s popular Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, agricultural policy has undergone historic transformation. While the agriculture budget stood at ₹21,930 crore in 2014, it has now surged to ₹1,27,200 crore. Through the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, ₹3.7 lakh crore has been transferred to 9.8 crore farmers. Additionally, farmers have benefitted from a total of ₹23.61 lakh crore through Minimum Support Price (MSP).
To strengthen credit access, the limit of the Kisan Credit Card has been raised from ₹3 lakh to ₹5 lakh. Over ₹25 crore Soil Health Cards have been distributed to help improve soil quality. In Bihar too, the agriculture sector has seen continuous progress. In 2005, the state’s agriculture budget was only ₹20 crore, which has now increased to ₹3,600 crore. Under the able leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the Fourth Agricultural Roadmap (2023–28) is being implemented with an investment of ₹1,62,268.78 crore.
The Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan was successfully conducted across all districts of Bihar from 29 May to 12 June 2025, with the collaboration of scientists, the Agriculture Department, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, and universities. This campaign truly embodied the Prime Minister’s vision of “Lab-to-Land”, wherein scientists directly engaged with farmers in villages. If productivity is increased by even one quintal per hectare through this initiative, the country could see an additional production of 20 lakh tonnes.
The Minister urged farmers to adopt new technologies based on expert guidance, which would lead to increased yield, reduced costs, and enhanced income. He expressed optimism that during 2024–25, foodgrain production could reach 3,309 lakh tonnes, including 1,206 lakh tonnes of Kharif rice, 1,154 lakh tonnes of wheat, and 3,621 lakh tonnes of horticultural output.
Paying tribute to Darbhanga’s rich heritage, he honoured Maharajadhiraj Kameshwar Singh and acknowledged Mithilanchal’s cultural significance, quoting the famous phrase: “Pag-pag pokhari, machh-makhaan; madhur boli, mukh mein paan” – a poetic homage to the region’s agrarian traditions.
The programme witnessed the enthusiastic participation of a large number of farmers, agricultural scientists, officials, and public representatives. It concluded on a hopeful note, reaffirming the collective resolve for a brighter future in agriculture.
