If the government, society and farmer work together, it can help the farmer to double the income in next five years, he said. PTI file photo
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had faced flak for the statement on doubling farmers' income, reiterated his belief at Amreli in Gujarat on Sunday.
If the government, society and farmer work together, it can help the farmer to double the income in next five years, he said. "To achieve this, one needs to move from traditional norms to modern practices. We must accept new things,” the Prime Minister told the gathering after inaugurating a honey extraction unit and a milk dairy.
“If you use Narmada waters via drip irrigation, the water would last for next 100 years and benefit future generations too. Many farmers have switched to solar pumps to save electricity cost,” he said.
The PM also called for farmers to begin sowing timber along the periphery of their farms, instead of putting up fences. He said that the Union government is working on a new law that would give them right over the trees along their farms, unlike currently where they can be prosecuted by forest officials.
The PM called on farmers to adopt beekeeping and bring in a ‘sweet revolution’. “Government hopes that on the lines of white revolution and green revolution, we must work towards sweet revolution by way of manufacture of honey. If a small farmer has 50 bees, he can earn Rs 2 lakh every year. This also helps in increasing productivity of the farm and health of the family,” he added.