New Delhi [India], December 22 (ANI): Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday conferred the Chaudhary Charan Singh Awards 2024, honouring excellent achievements in agriculture, rural improvement, and journalism, in line with an official assertion.
Addressing the awardees, he emphasised Chaudhary Charan Singh’s relentless dedication to rural improvement, farmers’ welfare, and inclusive development.
The Vice President expressed concern over the restricted recognition of Chaudhary Charan Singh’s monumental contributions, stating, “It pains the heart when people are short-sighted in assessing the great contributions of this man. His deep understanding of rural India, his unwavering commitment to the farmer, and his knowledge of the agrarian landscape remain subjects of reflection for enlightened minds around the world.”Dhankhar additionally underscored the pivotal position of agriculture in shaping the way forward for rural India. “Agriculture is the spine of rural development. Without the progress of agriculture, the rural landscape cannot be transformed. And unless the rural landscape changes, we cannot aspire to be a developed nation.”Highlighting India’s present financial progress, the Vice President identified that the nation is on an unprecedented development trajectory.
“India is on the rise as never before. We are now the fifth-largest economy in the world and are on track to becoming the third-largest, surpassing Japan and Germany. However, to achieve the goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047, our income must increase eightfold–a daunting challenge that lies ahead,” he mentioned.
Dhankhar harassed the necessity for strengthening the agricultural financial system, emphasising the significance of farmer empowerment and market entry.
“The village economy can only prosper when farmers and their families are involved in marketing, value addition, and creating self-sufficient clusters around their produce. The greatest market we have is our agricultural produce, yet our farming communities remain largely detached from it. The farming sector must be prioritized by the government to drive economic development,” he mentioned.
The Chaudhary Charan Singh Awards 2024, named after the visionary chief, goals to honour people and organisations making vital strides in reworking the agricultural and rural landscapes of India. This yr’s awardees had been acknowledged for his or her excellent contributions to those vital areas of improvement.
The Vice-President additionally 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.”Vice President additional voiced for accountability amongst parliamentarians, alluding to the latest ruckus within the Parliament, and mentioned, “It is time for every thinking Indian to scratch his brains and to generate a deep sense of accountability with all those who are enjoined with obligations. Make no mistake, I am referring to parliamentarians. People have learned to take disorder as order. There is no sense of revulsion. maiN ummiid krtaa huuN logoN kii klm clegii, logoN ke vicaar cleNge, log mjbuur kreNge ki aap socie aap kyoN ge the vhaaN? I leave it with this thought.”Reflecting on the Chaudhary Charan Singh Awards, the Vice-President emphasised their sustainability and mentioned, “These awards, over a period of time, must be structured for posterity to be self-sustaining. Fiscal strength is fundamental for flexibility of functioning. Anyone who has at heart the welfare of rural India, the welfare of the farmer–be it from the corporate sector, intelligentsia, or other walks of life–must come forward to nurture a trust like this, as we will not have for a long time to come another Chaudhary Charan Singh.”The Chaudhary Charan Singh Awards 2024 celebrated exceptional contributions to agriculture, rural improvement, and journalism. The Kalam Ratna Award was offered to Neerja Chowdhury for her dedication to insightful journalism. The Sewa Ratna Award was conferred upon Dr Rajendra Singh, the “Waterman of India,” for his pioneering efforts in water conservation. The Krishak Utthan Award went to Dr Firoz Hossain for advancing agricultural analysis and innovation. Lastly, the Kisan Award was bestowed upon Pritam Singh for his contributions to agricultural excellence.
Jayant Chaudhary, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and different dignitaries had been additionally current on the event. (ANI)