Haryana honored with Policy Leadership Award for Agricultural and Farmer Welfare Initiatives
Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh-
Haryana has been honored with the Policy Leadership Award in recognition of its outstanding contributions to agriculture and farmer welfare. The award was presented to Chief Minister Sh Nayab Singh Saini by Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal at the 16th Agriculture Leadership Conclave 2025, held in New Delhi. Accepting the award, the CM dedicated the achievement to the hardworking and dedicated farmers of Haryana.
CM said that agriculture in India is more than an economic activity, it is deeply rooted in the nation’s culture and identity. He stated that farmers, as Annadaatas (food providers), are central to the vision of a developed India by 2047, a goal set by PM Narendra Modi. A strong, prosperous India, he said, is only possible when its farmers are empowered and self-reliant.
Highlighting Haryana’s efforts to modernize agriculture, Saini said that digital technology has transformed farming practices. Our progressive farmers are embracing innovations like drones, AI, remote sensing, and digital farming. Today, drones are being used to spray fertilizers and pesticides, crop insurance schemes are being tracked online, and platforms like e-NAM are helping farmers access national markets directly. He reiterated the government’s commitment to making Haryana’s agriculture modern, efficient, and future-ready, adding that the state is also promoting startups and agricultural entrepreneurship.
The Chief Minister shared that under the ‘Har Khet-Swasth Khet’ campaign, 90 lakh soil health cards have been distributed. Farmers are receiving up to 85% subsidy on micro-irrigation systems. Drone technology is being used not only for field monitoring and crop health assessments but also in land records and crop evaluations.
He highlighted the Drone Didi Yojana, which aims to train 5,000 women in drone operation, and said that 108 mandis in Haryana are now connected to the e-NAM platform, allowing farmers to sell their produce across the state and country for better prices.
The Chief Minister also addressed stubble burning, urging farmers to adopt eco-friendly practices. He mentioned that the state provides an incentive of Rs 1,500 per acre to farmers who avoid stubble burning. He also cited the Supreme Court’s praise of Haryana’s efforts in stubble management, describing them as commendable.
Haryana’s Key Role in National Development
Speaking at the conference, Saini emphasized Haryana’s significant contribution to the nation’s food grain reserves. He credited this achievement to the state’s hardworking, dedicated, and progressive farmers. He highlighted that Haryana is the only state in the country where all 24 crops grown by farmers are procured at the Minimum Support Price (MSP). Through the ‘Meri Fasal Mera Byora’ portal, farmers are able to register crop and land details online from the comfort of their homes. As a result, they receive payments directly into their bank accounts within 48 hours of selling their produce. Over the past ten procurement seasons, more than Rs 1.48 lakh crore has been transferred directly to farmers' bank accounts for MSP crop purchases. Additionally, in the last ten and a half years, the government has disbursed over Rs 15,000 crore as compensation to farmers for losses due to natural calamities
Piyush Goyal, commended Haryana CM for receiving the Policy Leadership Award, recognizing his government's outstanding initiatives in the agriculture sector. He stated that Haryana is consistently advancing under CM Saini’s dynamic leadership. H