New Delhi, Jul 16 (KNN) Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar and Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw jointly launched a digital platform namely ‘Kisan Sarathi’, through video conference on Friday, on the occasion of 93rd ICAR Foundation Day. This platform will facilitate farmers to get ‘right information at right time’ in their desired language.

The event was presided over by Parshottam Rupala, Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Kailash Choudhary, Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Shobha Karandlaje, Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.

The other dignitaries present in the virtual event were Ajay Sawhney, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra, Secretary (DARE) & Director-General (ICAR), Abhishek Singh, MD & CEO, Digital India Corporation and Senior Officials from MeitY, ICAR & DARE. The event was witnessed by farmers, stakeholders and partners of ICAR, DARE, MeitY and KVKs across the country.

In his address, Vaishnaw, Minister of IT congratulated Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology for taking this initiative of Kisan Sarathi to empower farmers with technological interventions to reach farmers in remote areas.

He mentioned that with the digital platform, the farmers can interact and avail personalised advisories on agriculture and allied areas directly from the respective scientists of Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVKs).

Vaishnaw asked the ICAR Scientists to take-up research on new technological interventions in the area of transportation of farmer’s crop from their farm gate to warehouses, markets and the places where they want to sell with minimum damage.

Union IT Minister assured that Ministry of Electronics and IT and Ministry of Communications will always be ready to provide all necessary support to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying for Empowerment of Farmers. He also mentioned that the Ministry of Railways is making a plan to minimise the time taken for the transportation of crops.

Vaishnaw concluded by congratulating Indian Council of Agricultural Research on its 93rd Foundation Day and mentioned that under the able leadership and guidance of Narendra Singh Tomar Ji, Hon’ble Minister Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, ‘KisanSarathi’ initiative will be highly valuable not only in addressing the location-specific information