Uttar Pradesh CM inaugurates 3-day state-level Shri Anna Mahotsav

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], October 27 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday inaugurated the state-level Shri Anna Mahotsav, exhibition and workshop at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan in Lucknow.
After the inauguration of the programme, the UP CM said that Shri Anna has held significance since the Vedic era and stressed that in the future too, when the world faces a food crisis, the usefulness of Shri Anna will increase.
"Uttar Pradesh has the potential to emerge as a hub for Shri Anna production," he added.
CM Yogi further said that the COVID period has imparted a significant lesson which is, he said 'the more we embrace an artificial lifestyle, the more susceptible we become to epidemics'.
"We must adopt a natural habitat and lifestyle, and Shri Anna will be very helpful in this regard. There is a need for research and investigation to increase its productivity," Yogi said.
The Chief Minister also visited the exhibition organized by Shri Anna producers from all over the state.
Shri Anna Mahotsav will be organized for three days.
"Three-day Shri Anna Mahotsav is being organized on the occasion of the 34th foundation day of the Uttar Pradesh Agricultural Research Council, which is working for research and development in the field of agriculture. This festival will become a medium of comprehensive change in the lives of the farmers of UP," he said.
The Chief Minister further said that till the sixth and seventh decades of the last century, coarse grains were produced in large quantities.
"This was part of our daily lives. However, due to population growth and a slowdown in research and development, their production decreased," CM Yogi added.
He also pointed out that while India has made great strides in achieving food self-sufficiency, it has faced adverse consequences, such as increased diseases resulting from excessive chemical fertilizer use.
The Chief Minister expressed his delight at the widespread adoption of Shri Anna in various forms within every household.
"Substantial efforts have been initiated in this regard, leading to the creation of innovative products from millets. Not only are these products nutritious, but they also offer a delightful culinary experience," he added.
Highlighting the transformation of Krishi Vigyan Kendras, the Chief Minister said, "Until 2017, the condition of these centers was bad. Today, a new spirit of competition has ignited among them. Agricultural universities play a crucial role in this positive change. Intensive efforts are underway to deliver high-quality seeds from the finest research institutions to benefit the state's three crore farmers."
Additionally, he asked to establish labs in every Krishi Vigyan Kendra and Agricultural University for the certification of organic products.
CM Yogi said that the government is promoting natural farming, and 'govansh' can play a significant role in it.
During the ceremony, the Chief Minister honoured 35 farmer-producer organizations working in the area of 'Shri Anna'.
Apart from this, the assistance of Rs 95 lakh each was provided to five Krishi Vigyan Kendras of the state (Jhansi, Lalitpur, Banda, Hamirpur, and Ghazipur) for millet processing plants. Besides, the farmer-producer organizations that trained and encouraged a large number of farmers for millet farming were also honoured by the Chief Minister during the ceremony.