New Delhi [India], December 22 (ANI): Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday conferred the Chaudhary Charan Singh Awards 2024, honouring outstanding achievements in agriculture, rural development, and journalism, according to an official statement.

Addressing the awardees, he emphasised Chaudhary Charan Singh's relentless dedication to rural development, farmers' welfare, and inclusive growth.

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The Vice President expressed concern over the limited recognition of Chaudhary Charan Singh's monumental contributions, stating, "It pains the heart when people are short-sighted in assessing the great contributions of this man. His deep understanding of rural India, his unwavering commitment to the farmer, and his knowledge of the agrarian landscape remain subjects of reflection for enlightened minds around the world."

Dhankhar also underscored the pivotal role of agriculture in shaping the future of rural India. "Agriculture is the spine of rural development. Without the progress of agriculture, the rural landscape cannot be transformed. And unless the rural landscape changes, we cannot aspire to be a developed nation."

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Highlighting India's current economic progress, the Vice President pointed out that the country is on an unprecedented growth trajectory.

"India is on the rise as never before. We are now the fifth-largest economy in the world and are on track to becoming the third-largest, surpassing Japan and Germany. However, to achieve the goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047, our income must increase eightfold--a daunting challenge that lies ahead," he said.

Dhankhar stressed the need for strengthening the rural economy, emphasising the importance of farmer empowerment and market access.

"The village economy can only prosper when farmers and their families are involved in marketing, value addition, and creating self-sufficient clusters around their produce. The greatest market we have is our agricultural produce, yet our farming communities remain largely detached from it. The farming sector must be prioritized by the government to drive economic development," he said.

The Chaudhary Charan Singh Awards 2024, named after the visionary leader, aims to honour individuals and organisations making significant strides in transforming the agricultural and rural landscapes of India. This year's awardees were recognized for their outstanding contributions to these critical areas of development.

The Vice-President also underscored the essence of democracy, saying, "Expression and dialogue define democracy. How democratic a nation is defined by the state of expression of its individuals and organizations. For any democracy to succeed, expression and dialogue must go hand in hand with great responsibility on both sides."

Vice President further voiced for accountability among parliamentarians, alluding to the recent ruckus in the Parliament, and said, "It is time for every thinking Indian to scratch his brains and to generate a deep sense of accountability with all those who are enjoined with obligations. Make no mistake, I am referring to parliamentarians. People have learned to take disorder as order. There is no sense of revulsion. maiN ummiid krtaa huuN logoN kii klm clegii, logoN ke vicaar cleNge, log mjbuur kreNge ki aap socie aap kyoN ge the vhaaN? I leave it with this thought."

Reflecting on the Chaudhary Charan Singh Awards, the Vice-President emphasised their sustainability and said, "These awards, over a period of time, must be structured for posterity to be self-sustaining. Fiscal strength is fundamental for flexibility of functioning. Anyone who has at heart the welfare of rural India, the welfare of the farmer--be it from the corporate sector, intelligentsia, or other walks of life--must come forward to nurture a trust like this, as we will not have for a long time to come another Chaudhary Charan Singh."

The Chaudhary Charan Singh Awards 2024 celebrated remarkable contributions to agriculture, rural development, and journalism. The Kalam Ratna Award was presented to Neerja Chowdhury for her dedication to insightful journalism. The Sewa Ratna Award was conferred upon Dr Rajendra Singh, the "Waterman of India," for his pioneering efforts in water conservation. The Krishak Utthan Award went to Dr Firoz Hossain for advancing agricultural research and innovation. Lastly, the Kisan Award was bestowed upon Pritam Singh for his contributions to agricultural excellence.

Jayant Chaudhary, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion. (ANI)

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