New Delhi, 17 March (H.S.): Union Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan revealed Tuesday that approximately 1.3 million lives are lost annually in India to tobacco consumption, prompting the government to actively promote alternative crops over tobacco cultivation.

Responding to a query from Samajwadi Party MP Rajiv Rai during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, Chouhan clarified that the administration has not mandated farmers to abandon tobacco but has meticulously identified viable substitutes tailored to specific regions. These encompass hybrid maize, chillies, sweet potatoes, cotton, potatoes, chia, feed beans, cowpeas, finger millet, groundnuts, soybeans, and sorghum.

Chouhan emphasized integrated farming models for small farmers, urging diversification beyond single crops into rice, vegetables, pulses, livestock, aquaculture, and apiculture. Demonstrations are underway nationwide to transform small-scale agriculture into a profitable enterprise, fostering resilience and higher incomes.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar