Agriculture Minister Kirori Lal Meena, who had resigned from the office was seen missing from,Rising Rajasthan Pre Summit on Thursday at Hotel Marriott. Agriculture Secretary Rajan Vishal led the summit in his place. This shows the growing political tensions in Rajasthan.
Meena tendered his resignation in June, following BJP’s defeat in four critical Lok Sabha seats. The party faced significant setbacks, particularly in Dausa, Meena’s hometown.
Meena has made remarks related to his relations with the chief minister in the last few months. He has been upset with the current government for a long time. Speaking at a World Tribal Day event, he said that the people whom he served for 45 years did not listen to him. The five-time MLA and former Rajya Sabha member also addressed reservation concerns. He promised to remain dedicated to his society on such matters.
The Chief Minister’s office has already reassigned Meena’s portfolios. Ministers of State, Otaram Dewasi and Krishna Kumar Bishnoi now handle Agriculture, Rural Development, Disaster Management and Relief, and Public Grievances departments.
Today’s summit was a precursor to Sharma’s ambitious Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit, which is scheduled for December 9 to 11. Addressing the occasion, C.R. Chaudhary, Chairman of Rajasthan Kisan Aayog, highlighted the state’s outstanding performance in production of mustard, jowar, and oilseed production. Chief Secretary Sudhansh Pant stressed the importance of PM Modi’s Per Drop More Crop Mission for Rajasthan.
Dr Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, advocated for viewing farmers as agricultural entrepreneurs. He emphasised digital farming’s role in reducing costs and improving yields. Agriculture Secretary Rajan Vishal outlined the state’s “4 P” strategy: productivity, procurement, processing, and popularization.
Principal Secretary Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Dr Samit Sharma highlighted new opportunities in dairy and animal husbandry by-products.
National Dairy Development Board Chairman Dr Meenesh Shah shared industry insights, while progressive farmers, including Padma Shri awardee Sundaram Verma, presented success stories in advanced and organic farming.
The pre-summit organised two key plenary sessions focusing on promoting allied sectors of agriculture. One is food processing, and the other is technological innovation in agriculture. Pant also suggested reconsidering the organisation of Global Rajasthan Agritech Meet (GRAM) as a platform for agricultural innovation. He urged promotion of millets through government offices to support local farmers.
The summit attracted 350 investors and speakers, with the Agricultural Marketing Department securing 693 proposals, followed by Horticulture with 121 proposals. The government plans to develop food parks in Jodhpur, Kota, Ganganagar, Alwar, and Bikaner, showcasing its commitment to agricultural infrastructure despite the ongoing political tensions. However, Kirodi Lal Meena was present, when his brother Jagmohan Meena filled his nomination from Dausa.
