Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, and Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, on the occasion of the New Year, extended his heartfelt greetings and best wishes to the people of the country, especially farmers, workers, labourer brothers and sisters, and women, including ‘Lakhpati Didis’. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the government is committed to building a strong foundation for a ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India) by empowering villages, the poor, farmers, workers, youth and women.

In his New Year message, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that efforts would be intensified in the coming year to increase agricultural production, enhance farmers’ incomes and further strengthen rural infrastructure. He emphasised that farmers are the food providers of the nation, while workers and labourers form the backbone of India’s economy, and therefore their prosperity remains the government’s highest priority.

Referring to initiatives such as the ‘Lakhpati Didi’ campaign, the Union Minister said the goal is to make rural women associated with self-help groups financially empowered by providing them with skills, affordable credit and market linkages. He said the initiative aims to create economically self-reliant families in every village, adding that more than two crore ‘Lakhpati Didis’ are already becoming self-reliant and inspiring other women to follow the same path.

Shri Chouhan said that in the New Year, special emphasis would be placed on strengthening rural development by improving road connectivity, electricity supply, drinking water facilities, digital connectivity and market access. These efforts, he said, would help accelerate rural growth and improve the quality of life in villages.

In his message, the Union Minister also said that through the ‘Viksit Bharat – G Ram G’ scheme, employment opportunities for workers would be expanded while simultaneously empowering women and farmers. He added that the scheme would also promote rural entrepreneurship, enabling villagers to become partners in development rather than mere beneficiaries.

Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan extended New Year greetings to all farmers, workers, labourers, sisters, youth and women moving ahead on the path of becoming ‘Lakhpati Didis’. He assured them that the government would continue to take new and meaningful steps in their interest, with a focus on inclusive growth and sustainable development.

He expressed confidence that collective efforts in the coming year would further strengthen rural India and help realise the vision of a self-reliant, prosperous and developed nation.

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MS