Uttarkashi won the award for better efforts in farming among 500 districts of the country, got ODOOP National Award.
Uttarkashi district has received the second prize in the National One District One Product (ODOP) Award held in New Delhi. Uttarkashi has received this honor in the category of agriculture among about five hundred districts across the country. Whereas Uttarakhand has also got second place in the state award. With this achievement achieved under the leadership of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the government’s campaign to convert agriculture into a profitable business in the state and the district, getting recognition and respect at the national level, will help in improving the lives of the common people in the state and provide them with new opportunities of livelihood. The government’s innovative and committed efforts to provide opportunities are bearing fruit. It is a big achievement for the state to get GI tag for red paddy of Uttarakhand some time back and now getting respect at the national level.
Atma Nirbhar Bharat Utsav was organized under the chairmanship of Union Commerce and Industry Minister Shri Piyush Goyal at Bharat Mandapam of Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. The chief guest at the inauguration ceremony of the festival was Foreign Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar did it. During this period, Uttarkashi district has secured second place in the category of agriculture among the districts across the country for the cultivation of red paddy. During this, the chief guest was Union Foreign Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar received the National ODOP Award for first runner up in the districts category from the hands of District Magistrate Uttarkashi Abhishek Ruhela. On this occasion, District Chief Agriculture Officer J.P. Tiwari along with General Manager District Industries Center Uttarkashi Shaili Dabral were also present. Whereas Uttarakhand state has also got second place among the states in the ODOP Award. While giving the National ODOP Award to Uttarkashi district in the districts category, the Central Government has appreciated the remarkable efforts made in the field of agriculture in the state and the district under the leadership of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. Here, Chief Minister Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami appreciated the honor received at the national level. Said that through team work, such new products should be recognized at the national level. The Chief Minister congratulated the state and district team.
Chief Minister launched a campaign to promote traditional farming
Red paddy with special qualities is produced in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. Red paddy is traditionally cultivated on a large scale in the Rawani valley including the Purola area of the district. In view of the existing possibilities in the field of traditional farming, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had given instructions to promote the production of red paddy and other traditional crops and expected the officials to make committed efforts in this direction. Following the vision and mission of Chief Minister Shri Dhami, the District Administration and Agriculture Department are making multi-dimensional efforts to conserve and promote the traditional cultivation of red paddy in the district and also encourage the farmers to grow it in the areas of Ganga valley. With encouragement, cultivation of red paddy was started from last year. In this campaign, DM Abhishek Ruhela and other officers themselves went to the fields and planted seedlings.
Help and important information given to farmers
The district administration, along with providing red paddy seeds, fertilizers and other technical information to the farmers, the team of the Agriculture Department was continuously busy in implementing the efforts being made to promote the cultivation of red paddy. District Magistrate Abhishek Ruhela informed the farmers. Provided technical information and other help. Enthusiastic farmers adopted red paddy cultivation on a large scale.
This is how the selection for Odoopi Award happened
Red paddy from Uttarkashi district was pre-nominated under One District One Product. The District Administration, Agriculture Department and Industry Department had applied to the Government of India for the National Award in the month of August last. After which a team of the Government of India visited the district in the last month of October and November and investigated the claim of the district and found the claim of the district suitable on the set parameters. In the National One District One Product (ODOP) Award, Red Paddy and Uttarkashi district became the subject of appreciation and respect among about 500 contending districts from across the country. There is a wave of joy in the district on this achievement.
