News @ Jains - Grand distribution of Appasaheb Pawar Awards

Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar is presenting the Appasaheb Pawar Award to Mrs Manisha & Mr Bhausaheb Kunjir. People seen from left are MP Ishwarlalji Jain, MLA Sureshdada Jain, Horticulture Minister Dr. Vijaykumar Gavit, former Vice-Chancellor Dr. Shankarrao Magar, Opposition Leader in Maharashtra Assembly Eknathrao Khadse, Co-operation Minister Harshvardhan Patil, Poet N D Mahanor, Guardian Minister for Jalgaon Gulabrao Deokar and MP Haribhau Jawale

Highlights of Ceremony

Jalgaon, Nov 6 (Reporter) - Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd., which is leading Indian MNC has reduced prices in the last five years to provide major relief to the common farmers and the Indian agriculture sector is facing many challenges and problems like continuously rising prices of agricultural inputs like fertilizers. Union Minister for agriculture Sharad Pawar said this while speaking at the Padmashri Dr. Appasaheb Pawar Agriculture Hi-tech Awards distribution ceremony where Bhavarlal & Kantabai Jain Multipurpose Foundation gave away these awards. This grand function was held under the chairmanship of Co-operation and Parliamentary Affairs Minister of Maharashtra Harshvardhan Patil and MP Ishwarlalji Jain, MLA Sureshdada Jain, Jain Irrigation Founder Chairman senior thinker Padmshri Bhavarlal Jain, Medical Education and Horticulture Minister Dr. Vijaykumar Gavit, former Vice-Chancellor of Konkan Krushi Vidyapeeth Dr. Shankarrao Magar, Opposition Leader in Maharashtra Assembly Eknathrao Khadse, Trustee of the Bhavarlal & Kantabai Jain Multipurpose Foundation Poet N D Mahanor, Guardian Minister for Jalgaon Gulabrao Deokar and MP Haribhau Jawale were also present.

Union Minister for Agriculture Sharad Pawar also underlined the need to increase the literacy in agriculture along with the awards for adoption of hi-tech practices in agriculture so that Indian agriculture can face the difficulties and challenges. Sixty percent (60%) of Indian agriculture is dependent upon the rains and it is necessary to help the small farmers which form the majority of agricultural farmers in India, he added. Government must make more efforts to support the drip irrigation technology for the welfare of small farmers and it can’t afford to neglect this technology, Mr Pawar said. He also pointed out that Indian women have been playing a major role in the development of agricultural sector in India and their share is a big 64% in the total efforts to make it successful. The cotton crop is now seeing better days due to the acceptance of very hi-tech agricultural practices by farmers in India, he said and reminded all of the demand to give Rs 300 rate for cotton in a cotton farmers procession organized in 1980. He also praised cotton growers as they are getting Rs 7000 to Rs 8000 rate per quintal due to the use of hi-tech agricultural practices. He said he was worried about the rising expenditure of farmers for seeds, fertilizer and other agri-inputs though they were getting more money due to the higher prices of crops.

The Chairman of the function and Co-operation and Parliamentary Affairs Minister of Maharashtra Harshvardhan Patil said that he was very happy that this fifth Appasaheb Pawar Award was given to a women farmer and therefore, it is a felicitation of all women who toil very hard in agriculture. He said he was proud that the awardee Manisha Kunjir belongs to the district which he represents. Adoption of modern technology has become important for the welfare of small farmers and therefore, agriculture needs huge capital investment. So the Government has already made a provision of 4 lakh 68 thousand crore rupees and out of that, a fund of 20000 crore rupees have been given to farmers through the medium of crop loans. The Government had made crop loan up to Rs 1 lakh interest-free and only one percent rate of interest charged for crop loans up to Rs 3 lakh, Mr Patil said. Government is also considering whether it would be possible to give some rebate to farmers on the medium term loans and he specifically mentioned the hard work and hi-tech agri-practices adopted by Mrs Manisha Kunjir.

Appasaheb Pawar’s name will always be taken first as the person who devoted his life for the farm, agriculture and farmers. When we met first at Fresno in the US, he had told me that my life is for fulfilling the dreams in agriculture, JISL Founder Chairman Padmashri Bhavarlal Jain said in his introductory speech. Farmer who feeds the world has always been neglected in India and therefore, this award was started to give the prestige to farmers. He also emphasized that agricultural crops are getting good prices because of the contribution of Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar. The selection committee for this award travelled almost two and a half thousands km journey to select Tai (Mrs Manisha Kunjir), he added.

Jain Irrigation’s high technology has been very valuable and precious for the development of bringing rain-fed lands in Maharashtra under the horticulture scheme with the notable contribution of Jain tissue culture, Medical Education and Horticulture Minister Dr. Vijaykumar Gavit said. Jain Irrigation has made it easy for small farmers to adapt hi-tech agricultural practices along with the drip irrigation for their total development and it has not restricted its actions only to the drip irrigation technology, he said. The training along with the sales and the new planting material has also been given by Jain Irrigation, he added.

It is important not to neglect the tremendous contribution of women in agriculture and they (women) look at agriculture sector with open eyes than the men, Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly Eknathrao Khadse pointed out. He did not forget to praise Jain Irrigation’s hi-tech agricultural practices for the development of Indian agriculture sector. He also singled out Union Minister for Agriculture Sharad Pawar for going beyond politics and playing a bigger role to develop Indian agriculture. Hi-tech agricultural practices and technology has improved the standard of living of many farmers in India. Mr Khadse also called for additional Government support in terms of finance to the solar energy products so that common farmer is able to afford them and he also requested Mr Sharad Pawar to make efforts to do that. Union Minister for Agriculture Sharad Pawar would definitely take lead in increasing support for solar energy, he added.

The Chairman of Award Selection Committee and former Vice-Chancellor Dr Shankarrao Magar, Vice-Chancellor of Konkan Krushi Vidyapeeth Dr. Lawande, Horticultural Commissioner Gorakh Singh and other dignitaries also attended this function.

Mrs Jyoti Ashok Jain felicitated winner of Appasaheb Pawar Award winner Mrs. Manisha Kunjir in a traditional manner by giving her a paithni, a shawl and a silver coconut. Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar also gave away a memento of Award and a cheque of Rs 1 lakh to the Kunjir couple. JISL Vice-Chairman Ashok Jain also appropriately felicitated husband of Mrs Manisha Kunjir Mr Bhausaheb Kunjir.