Indian Union Agriculture Minister to Visit Flood and Drought-Affected Farmers in Assam; Calls for Stronger Laws Against Fake Agri-Inputs

21 July 2025, New Delhi: India’s Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Mr. Shivraj Singh Chouhan, met with agriculture ministers from the states of Assam and Rajasthan today at Krishi Bhawan in New Delhi to discuss key agricultural and rural development issues.

During the meeting with Assam’s Minister for Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, and Veterinary Services, Mr. Atul Bora, the Union Minister expressed deep concern over the recent natural calamities affecting farmers in Assam. He confirmed plans to visit the flood- and drought-affected districts of the state in the coming weeks to directly assess the situation and meet the impacted farming communities.

Highlighting the challenges farmers face due to unnotified crop varieties, Mr. Chouhan instructed the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to notify suitable varieties of kidney beans (rajma), lentils (masoor), pigeon peas (arhar), sunflower, forage maize, garlic, and onion tailored to Assam’s agro-climatic conditions. The minister also directed the relaxation of mandatory digital farmer registration requirements for accessing benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) crop insurance scheme in disaster-hit regions.

Additionally, Mr. Chouhan extended the Mission for Value Chain Development of Organic Farming in North Eastern Region for Assam by another year, reaffirming the central government’s commitment to supporting organic agriculture in the region.

The meeting was attended by senior officials, including Union Agriculture Secretary Mr. Devesh Chaturvedi and top representatives from the Assam Agriculture Department.

In a separate meeting with Dr. Kirorilal Meena, Rajasthan’s Minister for Agriculture, Horticulture, and Rural Development, Mr. Chouhan reviewed recent enforcement actions against counterfeit seeds and agro-inputs in the state. He emphasized the government’s seriousness in tackling the issue of fake seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides, calling it a direct betrayal of farmers.

The Union Minister announced that the central government has initiated the process of amending laws to impose stricter penalties on those found guilty of selling counterfeit agri-inputs. He also confirmed that letters have been sent to the chief ministers of all Indian states urging coordinated action on this issue. “There will be zero tolerance for those who cheat farmers. The central government will not allow any compromises when it comes to farmer welfare,” he said.

Also Read: India to Begin GM Maize Trials in Punjab

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