THE Uttar Pradesh Government led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has fulfilled the Bharatiya Janata Party’s pledge for agricultural development as well as promises made to the farmers as envisaged in its Lok Kalyan Sankalp Patra, which was released during the last state assembly elections four years ago. 

The Yogi Government’s journey to develop agriculture and uplift farmers started with the waiving off loans to the tune of a whopping Rs 36,000 crore of 86 lakh farmers. It was followed by implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi and Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna to recognise progressive and innovative farmers as well as provide an insurance cover for their produce respectively. Uttar Pradesh, under the leadership of CM Yogi, also continues to set new records in agricultural production and foodgrain purchase in the country. 

  From laying a strong foundation for agricultural development to making it a profitable sector and doubling farmers’ income, the Yogi Government has many achievements to boast of. In the last four years, the Government has made a record payment of Rs 1,37,891 crore to 45.74 lakh sugarcane farmers, which is two times more than payments made during the Bahujan Samajwadi Party government and one and a half times more than made during the Samajwadi Party Government’s tenure. 

Fulfilling the promise of development of agriculture, farmers and farm labourers, the Yogi Government not only achieved record grain production and procurement, but also made direct payments to the accounts of farmers within 72 hours, eliminating middlemen from the procurement process. 

Statistics clearly reveal the Yogi Government’s achievements in the field of agriculture.

Year wise agricultural production in UP 

Year 2014-2015 - 389.28 lakh MT 

Year 2016-2017 - 557.46 lakh MT 

Year 2018-2019 - 604.15 lakh MT 

Year 2019-2020 - 601.84 lakh MT 

Year 2020-2021 - 624.19 lakh MT 

Paddy Procurement (Marketing Year 2020-21) 

Total number of centres – 4,453 

Working target (Lakh MT) - 55.000000 

Number of farmers from whom purchases were made – 13,05,929 Total purchase (MT) - 6684277.433290 

Total amount for payment - Rs 12491880242.07 

Maize Procurement (Marketing Year 2020-21) 

Total number of centres - 110 

Working target (Lakh MT) - 18.000000 

Number of farmers from whom purchases were made – 24,859 

Total purchase (MT) - 106412.680000 

Total amount for payment – ​​Rs 1968634580 

Wheat Procurement (Marketing Year 2020-21) 

Total number of centres – 5678 

Number of farmers from whom purchases were made – 1298284 Total Purchase (MT) - 5641202.205260 

Total amount for payment – ​​Rs 111411898765.17 

Payment made to sugarcane farmers 

So far, a total of Rs.137,891 crore has been made to sugarcane farmers. The Government has ensured 100 percent payment of cane price at all the 119 sugar mills in the crushing season 2019-20. 

Prominent among Yogi Government's achievements also include promoting cow-based zero budget farming, running 119 sugar mills during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, granting licence for santiser production to 91 sugar mills,  generation of electricity worth Rs 1500 crore at sugar mills, completion of Ban Sagar Dam project which was pending for 46 years as well as eight  other small and medium scale dam projects, registration of 6.18 crore farmers under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, establishment of 20 new Krishi Vigyan Kendras, registration of two lakh farmers on e-procurement portal, Expansion of storage capacity of 37 mandis with additional 1.85 lakh metric tonnes, freeing of 45 agricultural products from market tax, Development of 27 mandis as modern farmers’ markets, and construction of 75 state tube wells and digging of 13,645 ponds in Bundelkhand etc.