Chouhan launches nationwide 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' from Taraori in Karnal
Published: Oct 23, 2026
By TIOLCorplaws News Service
NEW DELHI, OCT 23, 2026: UNION Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan yesterday formally launched the nationwide 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' from the historic town of Taraori in Karnal district, Haryana. Addressing millions of farmers, agricultural scientists and officials who joined virtually from Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and agricultural institutions across the country, Chouhan warned that unless the unbalanced use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides was brought under control, the earth could eventually refuse to produce crops and the human body could become a breeding ground for diseases. On the occasion, he called for a comprehensive public awareness campaign in every village across the country from 22nd October to 30th November 2026. As Rural Development Minister, he also announced a major benefit for poor families in Haryana. He handed over to Haryana Agriculture Minister Shyam Singh Rana, on behalf of the state government, an approval letter for financial assistance of Rs 1,343.06 crore to construct 28,422 permanent houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Gramin.
Haryana's farmers have shown the way forward for the entire country
Addressing a large farmers' convention held on the historic land of Taraori, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that Haryana's farmers were remarkable for their hard work, dedication and willingness to experiment with new approaches. He observed that progressive farmers from Haryana were writing a new chapter of agricultural transformation not only in their own state but also in states such as Madhya Pradesh, where they were promoting modern and natural farming practices. Emphasising Haryana's influence on agricultural progress across the country, he said that when Haryana showed the way, the entire nation moved forward in that direction. He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too, felt deeply concerned about the deteriorating health of Mother Earth and the need to improve the condition of the country's agricultural land.
Major benefit for Haryana under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana
During the programme, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, in his capacity as Union Rural Development Minister, made a major announcement for rural poor families in Haryana. He said that the central government had approved the construction of 28,422 permanent houses for eligible poor families in the state under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. An amount of Rs 1,343 crore and Rs 6 lakh had been sanctioned for this purpose. Chouhan handed over the formal approval letter for this significant allocation to Haryana Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Minister Shyam Singh Rana, who was present on the stage. The approval is expected to help thousands of economically disadvantaged families in the state realise their dream of owning a permanent home.
Affordable fertilisers do not mean indiscriminate use; the government is bearing the subsidy burden
Speaking about fertiliser prices and the government's commitment to farmers, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that despite rising prices in international markets, the central government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was ensuring that farmers did not face any additional financial burden. The government was bearing a substantial fertiliser subsidy of more than Rs 1.5 lakh crore to ensure that farmers could continue to obtain a bag of urea for just Rs 266 and a bag of DAP for Rs 1,350. However, he cautioned farmers against assuming that the availability of affordable fertilisers justified their excessive use. "Getting fertilisers at affordable prices certainly does not mean that we should keep applying four bags of urea to our fields. It is a misconception that applying more fertiliser will produce a bigger harvest. Applying fertilisers without need is like wasting our hard-earned money and poisoning the soil. Just as a person can become ill by taking medicines without being sick, excessive fertiliser use is making the health of our Mother Earth deteriorate," he said. He added that India was now moving towards the use of green ammonia, which would help the country become fully self-reliant (atmanirbhar) in fertiliser production in the future.
Pesticides are turning the human body into a breeding ground for diseases; both people and fields must be protected
Highlighting the serious consequences of chemical-intensive farming, Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that consuming food produced with poisonous pesticides and excessive, uncontrolled fertiliser use was increasingly turning the human body into a breeding ground for serious diseases. He observed that air, water and food were essential for human survival, and that ancient scriptures regarded food as Brahma, or the divine. If the food itself became impure, he warned, the very existence of human civilisation could be threatened. He stressed that the present effort was not merely a struggle to protect soil but a sacred mission to safeguard both agricultural land and human life. Protecting the health of the fields, he emphasised, was inseparable from protecting the health of the people who depended on them.
Three practical principles for soil conservation
Union Minister Chouhan outlined three key measures that farmers could adopt to preserve soil fertility and maintain productive agricultural land.
Balanced fertiliser use based on Soil Health Cards: Farmers should check their Soil Health Cards on their mobile phones and identify which nutrients are deficient in their soil. They should then apply only the required fertilisers, in balanced quantities, to address those deficiencies rather than using fertilisers indiscriminately.
Changing the crop cycle through crop rotation: Instead of repeatedly growing paddy followed by wheat, farmers should introduce pulses such as chickpea, lentil and pigeon pea into their cropping cycles. The roots of pulse crops naturally fix nitrogen in the soil, helping to improve its fertility and replenish nutrients.
Adopting natural farming on at least half an acre: Farmers need not initially convert their entire landholding to natural farming. Even if they have five acres, they should begin by adopting natural farming on at least half an acre. They can prepare Beejamrit and Ghanjeevamrit using cow dung, cow urine and soil collected from beneath trees. This would provide chemical-free food for household consumption, reduce cultivation costs and improve soil health. Over two to three years, soil conditions would improve and production could reach levels comparable to those achieved through conventional farming.
Crop-residue management and protection of earthworms, the soil's natural allies
Appreciating the efforts of Taraori's farmers to manage crop residue and maintain high levels of organic carbon in their soil, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that burning crop residue was a self-destructive practice. He explained that setting fire to fields not only causes air pollution but also destroys trillions of microorganisms living in the upper and lower layers of the soil, along with beneficial insects and earthworms that help produce natural manure. These organisms play an essential role in maintaining the soil's natural fertility. Protecting earthworms and beneficial insects, he stressed, was therefore crucial to preserving the health and productivity of agricultural land.
Nationwide public awareness campaign to run from 22nd October to 30th November, 2026
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan called upon vice-chancellors of agricultural universities, the Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), scientists and officials to leave their laboratories and offices and visit villages across the country from 22 nd October to 30 th November, 2026. They should organise village-level meetings and discussions with farmers to explain the importance of soil health and balanced farming practices. He expressed his resolve to remain actively involved in the campaign on the ground himself, ensuring that the initiative reached farmers directly and helped protect India's agricultural land from becoming barren.
Farmers raise their hands and pledge to protect their fields
At the conclusion of his address, responding to Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's appeal, the farmers gathered at the venue raised both hands, clenched their fists and took a collective pledge amid resounding slogans of "Bharat Mata Ki Jai". They resolved to use chemicals in their fields in a balanced manner, change their crop cycles, refrain from burning crop residue and gradually adopt natural farming practices to protect the health of Mother Earth.
The historic launch was attended by several prominent agricultural scientists and administrative officials, including ICAR Director General and Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) Dr Mangi Lal Jat and Haryana Additional Chief Secretary (Agriculture) Vijendra Kumar, along with a large number of farmers. During the programme, the dignitaries also released a booklet on the 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan'.
