New Delhi, Dec 22
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday said that agriculture is the spine of the country's rural development while emphsising that unless agriculture develops, a developed nation remains a distant dream.
"Agriculture is the spine of rural development. Unless agriculture develops, the rural landscape cannot be changed. And unless the rural landscape changes, we cannot aspire to have a developed nation. To be a developed nation by 2047, our income has to go up eightfold. That's a daunting challenge. That challenge can find a solution only when the village economy grows. The village economy can look up only when the farmer and their family are involved in marketing, value addition, and generating clusters to become self-sufficient," the Vice President said.
Vice President Dhankhar here on Sunday conferred the Chaudhary Charan Singh Awards 2024, honouring outstanding achievements in agriculture, rural development, and journalism. Speaking at the event, Vice President Dhankhar lauded the extraordinary legacy of Chaudhary Charan Singh, emphasising his relentless dedication to rural development, farmers' welfare, and inclusive growth, a statement by the Vice President's Secretariat read.
Praising Chaudhary Charan Singh, the Vice President said: "Chaudhary Charan Singh was one of the finest persons in the country. A person who encapsulates transparency, accountability, integrity, commitment to rural development, commitment to farmers, and was all throughout fearless in expression of his views."
Reflecting on the leadership, Vice President Dhankhar said: “Chaudhary Charan Singh is defined by sublimity, statesmanship, farsightedness, and growth that is inclusive. No wonder he became the first Chief Minister of the largest state of the Republic of India, and then Prime Minister."
Expressing concern over the lack of recognition of his contributions, he said: "It pains the heart when people are short-sighted in assessing the great contributions of this man. His astounding qualities, his deep dedication, and his knowledge of rural India are subjects of reflection for enlightened individuals worldwide. A son of the soil, he was mindful not just of rural India but urban India as well, with a vision aligned with our civilisational ethos."
Addressing the awardees of the Chaudhary Charan Singh Awards 2024, the Vice-President spoke on India's economic trajectory.
"Undoubtedly, at the moment, India is on the rise as never before. Indisputably, our economy is blossoming. We are the fifth largest globally and on track to becoming the third largest, ahead of Japan and Germany. But to be a developed nation by 2047, our income must increase eightfold -- a daunting challenge.”
Addressing this challenge, Vice President Dhankhar stressed the need for strengthening the village economy.
"Village economy can look up only when the farmer and their family are involved in marketing, value addition, and generating clusters all around, leading to self-sufficiency. The greatest market we have is agricultural produce, yet farming communities are hardly involved with it. The farming sector must be prioritised by governments for it to become an engine of economic development," he said.
The Vice-President also underscored the essence of democracy, saying: "Expression and dialogue define democracy. How democratic a nation is defined by the state of expression of its individuals and organizations. For any democracy to succeed, expression and dialogue must go hand in hand with great responsibility on both sides."