Jammu: Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh on Friday said that over the last 11 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi prioritised border areas and sought to do away with the terminology “Last Village” to replace it with “First Village” vision, placing border development at the heart of the nation’s growth.Addressing a gathering of farmers, youth, and entrepreneurs during “Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan” in the border area of R.S.Pura sector near here, the Minister emphasised that there has been a paradigm shift in the mindset and approach towards the aspirations of citizens in remote and border regions.Highlighting India’s leap from the world’s fifth to the fourth largest economy, Jitendra Singh rebuked false narratives of economic downfall due to assertive defence strategies.He cited Operation Sindoor as a testament to India’s balanced approach — maintaining strategic strength while propelling economic growth.
“This rise is a befitting reply to so-called intellectuals who doubted India’s capability to sustain economic growth with a robust defence policy,” Dr. Singh asserted, crediting the leadership of PM Modi over the last 11 years for the economic resilience.
He quoted Prime Minister Modi’s core governance mantra of serving the Women, Poor, Farmers, and Youth, and affirmed that 26 crore citizen have risen above the poverty line over the last decade through initiatives such as Fasal Bima Yojana, Nano Urea, and direct support for marginal farmers, especially in conflict-affected border regions.
He also recognised the role of the Ministry of Home Affairs in ensuring insurance coverage for fields exposed to cross-border shelling.
Singh referred to the Purple Revolution, spearheaded from Bhaderwah under the Aroma Mission, which has expanded to Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Singh shared that over 3,000 lavender-based startups are now active, engaging with perfume industries in Mumbai and redefining the concept of agri-entrepreneurship.
He also spotlighted tulip cultivation—once seasonal, now being harvested off-season. The CSIR-Srinagar is poised to lead cultivation of saffron and marigold, opening new vistas in floriculture.
Underlining the role of cutting-edge science, Dr. Singh announced that biotech-based value addition projects will enhance the shelf life of produce, with a notable rise in apple production and SHG involvement.
Jitendra Singh announced the operationalisation of Biotech Industrial Park in Kathua, Biotech Kisan Hub under Aspirational Districts Programme, upcoming AI-based agricultural decision-making system in Srinagar
In a landmark announcement, Jitendra Singh revealed that Group Captain Shukla, India’s astronaut heading to the International Space Station (ISS) in June, will carry biotech kits for scientific experiments in plant research and seedling growth in the Space milieu, showcasing India’s fusion of space science and agriculture.
Furthermore, four Agromet Observatories under the Gram Krishi Seva Yojana have been set up in Ladakh, Srinagar, Jammu and Poonch and four new district-level Agromet units launched in Kupwara, Baramulla, Kathua, and Reasi, with support from SKUAST. UNI
