
Thu May 29 08:37:14 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the provided text and a rewritten version as a news article:
**Summary:**
Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, while commemorating former Prime Minister Charan Singh’s death anniversary, stated that for India to truly achieve “Viksit Bharat” (developed India), the income of its citizens needs to increase eightfold. He emphasized that this goal requires farmers to expand beyond traditional agriculture and actively participate in animal husbandry and the agro-processing industry to add value to their produce. He believes the current role of farmers ends after harvest and they need to expand beyond that.
**News Article:**
**Dhankhar Calls for Eightfold Income Increase to Achieve ‘Viksit Bharat’**
*New Delhi, May 29, 2025* – Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar asserted on Thursday that the true measure of a “Viksit Bharat” (developed India) lies in an eightfold increase in the income of its citizens. Speaking after paying tributes to former Prime Minister Charan Singh on his death anniversary, Dhankhar emphasized the crucial role farmers play in achieving this ambitious goal.
“Viksit Bharat is not just about the nation’s economic ranking in the world,” Dhankhar stated, urging a more holistic approach to development.
He called on farmers to look beyond traditional agriculture and actively engage in animal husbandry and the agro-processing industry. Dhankhar highlighted that the food-processing industry is entirely reliant on farm produce and urged farmers to get involved in the value-addition stages.
“Farmers make a lot of effort in cultivating and harvesting crops, but beyond that their role is negligible,” he noted, stressing the need for increased participation in the value chain of their products.
Dhankhar expressed confidence that an eightfold increase in income is achievable if farmers adopt a more forward-thinking and diversified approach to their livelihoods. The Vice President’s remarks signal a renewed focus on rural economic empowerment as a key pillar of India’s development strategy.