UP CM Yogi Adityanath Pays Tribute to Chaudhary Charan Singh on 123rd Birth Anniversary, Launches Farmer Welfare Initiatives

Lucknow | December 23, 2025 Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday paid floral tributes to the statue of former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh on his 123rd birth anniversary, which is observed as Kisan Diwas. Singh, a Bharat Ratna awardee, is remembered for his lifelong dedication to the welfare of farmers, villages, and rural India. Speaking at the ‘Kisan Samman Diwas’ programme in Lucknow, Adityanath emphasized that Singh believed India’s progress was closely tied to the prosperity of its farmers. He highlighted the former leader’s efforts in land reforms, including the abolition of the zamindari system, the implementation of the mandi law to protect farmers from exploitation by middlemen, tax relief for small and marginal farmers, sales tax exemptions on fertilizers, and the establishment of NABARD to strengthen rural credit and agricultural development. Chaudhary Charan Singh, born in 1902 in Noorpur, Meerut, served as Prime Minister from July 28, 1979, to January 14, 1980, and also held the position of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister earlier in his career. He is remembered as a grassroots leader who championed the cause of farmers and rural communities. During the event, CM Adityanath handed over tractor keys to beneficiaries under various farmer welfare schemes and flagged off the vehicles. He also inaugurated the plot allotment process for the Chaudhary Charan Singh Seed Park at Atari in Lucknow, aimed at improving the supply of quality seeds and boosting agricultural productivity. The Chief Minister praised farmers for their hard work, stating that their efforts transform the soil into food production regardless of weather challenges. He highlighted that over the past eight years, Uttar Pradesh has paid around ₹75,000 crore more to sugarcane farmers compared to the total amount paid between 1996 and 2017. The government recently increased the price of early sugarcane variety to ₹400 per quintal for the 2025-26 crushing season. Adityanath also mentioned the development of 20 new Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) in the past eight years, bringing the total in the state to 89 across nine climatic zones. He shared plans for a modern seed park in Lucknow to raise seed production by up to 30% and an advanced tissue culture laboratory in Barabanki to support crops such as sugarcane, banana, and potato. The Chief Minister underlined measures taken to reduce farmers’ financial burdens, including loan waivers for those using 16 lakh private tubewells, annual financial support of ₹3,600 crore to the power corporation, and reduction of interest rates on cooperative loans from 11.5% to six percent. The tribute to Chaudhary Charan Singh combined commemoration with concrete steps to strengthen the welfare and productivity of farmers in Uttar Pradesh, reflecting both respect for the past and a focus on the future. UP CM Yogi Adityanath Pays Tribute to Chaudhary Charan Singh on 123rd Birth Anniversary, Launches Farmer Welfare Initiatives Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath paid floral tributes to the statue of former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh on his 123rd birth anniversary, celebrated as Kisan Diwas. Singh, a Bharat Ratna awardee, dedicated his life to the welfare of farmers, villages, and rural India, believing that the country’s progress depended on the prosperity of its farmers. During the ‘Kisan Samman Diwas’ programme in Lucknow, Adityanath highlighted Singh’s major contributions, including land reforms, abolition of the zamindari system, implementation of the mandi law to protect farmers from middlemen, tax relief for small and marginal farmers, and the establishment of NABARD. Singh’s efforts focused on making agriculture fair, profitable, and sustainable for farmers across India. At the event, the Chief Minister handed over tractor keys to beneficiaries under various farmer welfare schemes and flagged off the vehicles. He also inaugurated the plot allotment process for the Chaudhary Charan Singh Seed Park in Lucknow, aimed at improving seed quality and boosting crop productivity. Adityanath praised farmers for their hard work, noting that their effort turns soil into food production regardless of weather challenges. He highlighted that Uttar Pradesh has paid around ₹75,000 crore more to sugarcane farmers in the last eight years compared to the total between 1996 and 2017. The state also increased sugarcane prices, setting the rate for early variety at ₹400 per quintal for 2025-26. The Chief Minister shared that 20 new Krishi Vigyan Kendras were established in the past eight years, bringing the total to 89 across nine climatic zones. Plans are also underway for a modern seed park in Lucknow and an advanced tissue culture lab in Barabanki to support crops like sugarcane, banana, and potato. Additional farmer support includes loan waivers for 16 lakh private tubewell users, annual financial assistance of ₹3,600 crore to the power corporation, and reduced cooperative loan interest from 11.5% to six percent.