On the day of the meeting, in the Jharkhand Assembly, Chief Minister Shri Hemant Soren presided over the fourth meeting of the Board of Directors of Sidho-Kanha Agriculture and Forest Products State Cooperative Federation Ltd (SidhoKhed). The meeting discussed strengthening the agriculture and forestry sectors, increasing farmers’ income, promoting local products, and enhancing training and marketing systems. The chief minister reiterated that Jharkhand has immense potential in these areas and that the state government is committed to modernising and technologically empowering farmers.
The chief minister said that the government’s priority is to ensure farmers receive fair prices for their crops and timely payments. He explained that the state’s objective is to provide full cooperation throughout the entire farming chain—production, storage, processing, and marketing. The government is working to provide modern technology, improved seeds, better irrigation facilities, and market access. He clarified that farmers deserve timely payments so their morale rises, they become economically empowered, and they move toward self‑reliance. He also stressed protecting water resources and repairing check dams, suggesting that local farmer groups or water committees oversee these structures to guarantee ownership and accountability. This initiative would promote water conservation and provide a sustainable livelihood for rural areas.
The chief minister instructed officials to develop a special mobile app for farmers. Through this app, farmers across districts can share crop status, required agricultural inputs, marketing conditions, and market information directly via digital means. He said this digital initiative would help farmers obtain better prices and up‑to‑date market information. He also directed the creation of a local portal for the Ministry of Agriculture, enabling consumers to buy directly from farmers, establishing a transparent and profitable link, reducing middlemen, and increasing farmers’ income.
He highlighted the need to strengthen the production, processing, and marketing of Jharkhand’s distinctive forest products—such as laha (tendu), tamarind, koddo, kutki, chirounji, mahua, karanj, resin, and tasar silk. He instructed officials to prepare an action plan and implement it in a timely manner so that farmers and forest product collectors benefit directly. He said empowering an agriculture‑and‑forest‑based rural economy is the government’s priority and that all departments should work in coordination.
The chief minister also emphasized the ‘Kisan Pathshala’ and video‑based training initiative to give new direction to the rural economy. He said the government is making concrete steps to raise the recognition of forest products at both national and global levels, promoting marketing and value addition, and making farmers economically strong and self‑reliant. He encouraged alternative agriculture, training, technical support, and better marketing opportunities, directing a strengthening of initiatives such as Kisan Pathshala along with video‑based training modules. He stressed transparency and outcome‑oriented implementation to directly benefit farmers and propel the state’s rural economy toward self‑reliance.
During the meeting, the Sidho-Kahuu Cooperative Federation discussed various schemes, programmes, budgets, and work plans for the fiscal years 2025‑26 and 2026‑27. Policies were adopted to promote the production, collection, processing, and marketing of key agricultural‑forest products such as laha, seeds, and tasar. The meeting was attended by Agriculture Minister Mrs. Shilpi Neha Tirk, Secretary Avinash Kumar, Secretary Abu Bakar Siddik, Prashant Kumar, Krapanand Jha, Arwa Rajkumar, and other senior officers and invited members.