Bhagalpur: The agriculture department in Bhagalpur is making extensive preparations for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit on February 24, with officials reviewing progress on a daily basis. Special stalls showcasing Bhagalpur’s GI-tagged agricultural products will be set up to highlight the region’s farming specialities.
District agriculture officer Premshankar Prasad said the exhibition will feature live demonstrations of Katarni Chura rice, Manraji litchi, Jardalu mango juice, bananas, and honey. Additionally, a drone-based pesticide spraying demonstration will be conducted. A model under the state government’s Saat Nishchay Part-2 scheme, aimed at ensuring water supply to every farm, will also be displayed.
Officials will provide information on the production of coarse grains, an initiative promoted by the prime minister. Bhagalpur’s corn, which is exported internationally and processed into products such as cornflakes, popcorn, and snack foods, will also be highlighted for its industrial potential.
With the visit coinciding with the budding season of Jardalu mangoes, the prime minister will be presented with products such as Jardalu mango juice, jam, and amoot. A special exhibition on Bhagalpur’s mushroom cultivation will also be organised.
To ensure the participation of beneficiaries of the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, a meeting was held at the District Agriculture Office in Tilkamanjhi on Saturday. District agriculture officer Premshankar Prasad, who presided over the meeting, directed officials to promote the scheme in every village. The 19th instalment of the scheme, which has benefitted farmers on a large scale, will be released during the event.
Bhagalpur has around 2.5 lakh beneficiaries under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, and efforts are being made to invite them to the programme. Various responsibilities have been assigned to block and sub-divisional agriculture officers to ensure smooth coordination. Officials present at the meeting included assistant director of horticulture Abhay Kumar Mandal, sub-divisional agriculture officer Arvind Kumar, and ATMA’s deputy project director Prabhat Kumar Singh.
