His leadership throughout his political career was marked by advocacy for agrarian rights and policies aimed at uplifting rural India.
National Farmers’ Day: UP CM Pays Tribute to Chaudhary Charan Singh on 123rd Birth Anniversary
On Tuesday, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath paid floral tributes to former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh on his 123rd birth anniversary, a day also observed as National Farmers’ Day (Kisan Diwas). He paid the tribute at the statue of the late leader in Lucknow, where the Chief Minister highlighted Singh’s lifelong commitment to agrarian welfare, rural development, and social justice.
The minister addressed those gathered at the Kisan Samman Diwas programme and noted that the Bharat Ratna awardee devoted his life to the advancement of India’s villages and farming community. He asserted that “India cannot prosper unless its farmers prosper,” reflecting Singh’s deeply held belief in rural empowerment.
The Chief Minister recalled major elements of Singh’s reformist legacy, including his role in land reforms, abolition of the zamindari system, and introduction of laws focused on safeguarding farmers from exploitation by middlemen. He also emphasised Singh’s contributions toward tax relief for small and marginal farmers, the exemption of fertilisers from sales tax, and early steps toward establishing financial support structures like NABARD.
Charan Singh was born in Noorpur, Meerut, in 1902 and rose from a grassroots background to serve as India’s fifth Prime Minister from July 1979 to January 1980 and earlier as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. His leadership throughout his political career was marked by advocacy for agrarian rights and policies aimed at uplifting rural India.
Adityanath also participated in several programmes that underscored ongoing government support for farmers. He distributed keys to tractors under various welfare schemes and flagged off vehicles intended to bolster agricultural productivity. An official statement said the Chief Minister inaugurated the plot allotment process for the Chaudhary Charan Singh Seed Park in Atari, Lucknow, as part of efforts to enhance seed quality and supply.
Adityanath, highlighting recent progress in the state, said Uttar Pradesh has paid significantly higher sugarcane dues to farmers in recent years and has raised procurement prices for sugarcane, reflecting a continued focus on improving farmer incomes and agricultural outcomes.
Source: Hindustan Times
