Maharashtra has been honored with the Best Agriculture State Award for 2024 by the 15th Agriculture Leadership Awards Committee. The announcement was made by the committee, which is chaired by former Chief Justice of India, Justice P. Sathasivam. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will receive the award at a ceremony in New Delhi on July 10.
Pasha Patel, chairman of the state's Agricultural Price Commission, highlighted that the committee acknowledged Maharashtra's sustainable development policies focusing on environmental protection and food security.
According to Patel, the government led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has implemented revolutionary initiatives such as bamboo cultivation, the Shri Anna Abhiyan for cereals, and biomass utilization in thermal power generation across the state. These initiatives have been instrumental in securing Maharashtra's recognition with this prestigious award.
The award will be conferred during the 15th Agriculture Leadership Conference scheduled to take place in New Delhi on July 10. The event will witness the presence of notable figures including Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, ambassadors from Brazil, Algeria, Netherlands, as well as ministers from Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and other dignitaries.
"It is immensely satisfying for Maharashtra to be honored with this award," Patel expressed. He noted that UN Secretary-General António Guterres had declared the end of the era of warming and the onset of an era of chaos, stating the urgent need for action. "Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has been the first to heed this call and has taken significant steps towards addressing it," Patel added. Guterres had specifically called for halting the burning of coal and accelerating reforestation efforts.
The Maharashtra government has committed to planting trees on 21 lakh hectares and aims to replace 5% of coal with biomass to curb coal burning. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, recognized for his proactive response to UN Secretary-General Guterres' call for climate action, has been nominated for an award.
Under Chief Minister Shinde's leadership, Maharashtra has made significant strides, including launching the country's largest bamboo mission covering 21 lakh hectares. In Dhadgaon taluka of Nandurbar district, sarpanches from 70 villages pressed Union Horticulture Secretary Prabhat Kumar, highlighting that their issues could only be resolved through bamboo plantations. The Central government subsequently agreed to support their demands.
In this year's state budget, Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Shri Ajit Pawar announced plans to establish a green belt spanning 1.20 lakh acres in Nandurbar district, in collaboration with both the Central and state governments. Provisions for this initiative have been included in the budget. Additionally, the government aims to enhance irrigation capabilities across approximately 17 lakh hectares through the execution of 123 projects.