By Manas
New Delhi [India], December 18 : Union Minister of State for Heavy Industries Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma on Thursday said that supporting farmers remains the NDA government's foremost priority, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is ensuring maximum assistance is provided to the agriculture sector to help realise the vision of a 'Viksit Bharat'.
Attending a national seminar organised by the Federation of All India Farmer Associations in Delhi, Varma said, "Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Modi, India has placed farmers at the centre of its development journey. From strengthening food security to building a resilient, technology-driven agricultural ecosystem, the Modi government's policies are empowering our annadatas with innovation, infrastructure and access to global markets."
As a prelude to the Kisan Diwas 2025, the national seminar here was organised on the theme "Rising Food Demand & Economic Growth Imperatives" at the Constitution Club of India in the national capital.
Further speaking to ANI, the Union MoS said," The NDA government is giving topmost priority to the farmers. Without improving the condition of farmers, Viksit Bharat is not possible. That is why PM Modi is giving the agriculture sector top priority. He is promoting this sector very much."
At the seminar, FAIFA also released a White Paper addressing the mounting pressures on India's food system. The report highlighted the critical role of agriculture in responding to the country's population growth projected to exceed 1.6 billion by 2050, alongside rising disposable incomes and a rapidly expanding middle class that is reshaping dietary preferences toward more diverse and high-value foods.
Feeding 1.6 billion Indians by 2050 will require a 70 per cent surge in food production, the farmers' body stated in its report.

TDP MP Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy, who represents Andhra Pradesh's Ongole constituency in the Lok Sabha, also attended the seminar. Reddy said that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is planning for more irrigation projects for Andhra Pradesh. "With all this, the production level (of food grains) will go up," he said.
Lauding the initiatives taken by the Modi government in the past 11 years for the agriculture sector, TDP MP said, "It is an excellent performance. The production of food grains has increased multi-fold."
Meanwhile, Murali Babu, President, Federation of All India Farmer Associations (FAIFA), highlighted that India has made significant strides toward food security, achieving self-sufficiency in staple grains with record food grain production exceeding 315 million tonnes in recent years under the Modi government.

"However, feeding an ever-growing population presents a formidable challenge. Then there are the vulnerable populations who struggle with affordability, even when overall production is sufficient. At the same time, India's diverse dietary patterns, from wheat-dominant regions in the north to rice-based diets in the south, add further complexity to the food system. Ensuring food self-sufficiency is therefore not merely an economic objective but a strategic imperative for national stability and public health, with farmers playing a decisive role in meeting this critical challenge," he said.
The seminar highlighted the central role of farmers in meeting India's growing food demand and outlined strategic interventions to empower them and accelerate sustainable growth in the agricultural sector.
The white paper, released on the occasion, proposed a four-pillar strategy: 'Permaculture Focus, Export Diversification, Upholding India's Non-GMO Agricultural Integrity, and Revolutionising Agricultural Financing' to build a modern, sustainable agricultural sector with empowered farmers.
National Farmers' Day, observed on December 23rd, honours the invaluable contributions of farmers. This day marks the birth anniversary of India's fifth Prime Minister, Chaudhary Charan Singh, renowned for his deep understanding of rural issues and unwavering advocacy for the welfare of farmers.