Union Minister of State Shri Ram Nath Thakur Reviews 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan'

The Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Ram Nath Thakur, on June 26, 2026, reviewed the implementation of the 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' in the Pune region. During a meeting held at the Circuit House in Pune, detailed discussions took place regarding the current status of the campaign, the progress of various initiatives, and its future implementation. The meeting was attended by officials from various institutes under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), senior officials from the State Agriculture Department, and representatives from concerned departments. 

The meeting reviewed the experiences gained during the implementation of the campaign, local-level difficulties, and their potential solutions. It was highlighted that concerned agencies need to work in close coordination to make sustainable agriculture, crop protection, and technical guidance more effectively available to farmers. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Ram Nath Thakur emphasized the need to create awareness among farmers about adopting organic farming methods, noting that the indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers turns fertile land barren. He also mentioned that he was deeply impressed by the work of the officials serving in the agricultural sector in Maharashtra, expressing confidence that their efforts would drive rapid growth in agriculture. 

Shri Suraj Mandhare, Maharashtra State Agriculture Commissioner; Shri Sunil Borkar, Director of the Agricultural Technology Management Agency; and Dr. S. K. Roy, Director of ATARI Pune, along with other senior officials, attended the meeting. ICAR-CIRCOT, Mumbai was represented by Dr. N. Vigneshwaran, Principal Scientist & Head, and Dr. Jyoti Dhakane-Lad, Scientist.