CM Dhami backs Khet Bachao Abhiyan as farmer movement
Synopsis
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has publicly backed the Khet Bachao Abhiyan, describing the central government's farmland-protection campaign as a mass movement and calling farmers the soul and architects of India's destiny.
Key Takeaways
The Chief Minister's Office of Uttarakhand quoted CM Pushkar Singh Dhami endorsing the Khet Bachao Abhiyan on 26 June 2026 .
CM Dhami described the campaign as a 'people's movement' driven under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan .
The Khet Bachao Abhiyan is a centrally promoted campaign aimed at protecting cultivable farmland and supporting farmers across India.
The statement aligns Uttarakhand formally with the central government's agricultural messaging, consistent with the state's BJP-led administration's policy posture.
The broader national agricultural framework includes the PM-KISAN scheme launched in 2019 , providing direct income support to farmer families.
State-level implementation details, budget integration, and measurable outcomes of the campaign in Uttarakhand are yet to be announced.
The Chief Minister's Office of Uttarakhand on Friday, 26 June 2026, quoted Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami endorsing the Khet Bachao Abhiyan (Protect the Farm Campaign), describing it as a mass movement under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
Context
The official post carried a direct quote attributed to CM Dhami: 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' (the 'Protect the Farm Campaign') running under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan 'has become a people's movement.' He added, 'Farmers are the soul and the architects of our nation's destiny.'
The statement, issued through the Chief Minister's Office's official X account, reflects Uttarakhand's formal alignment with the centrally promoted agricultural campaign that has been positioned as a grassroots initiative to protect cultivable farmland across India.
Policy Backdrop
The Khet Bachao Abhiyan is a campaign promoted by the Union Agriculture Ministry under Shivraj Singh Chouhan, aimed at protecting farmland and supporting cultivators amid competing land-use pressures. It sits within a broader national policy framework that has included the PM-KISAN direct income-support scheme, launched in 2019, which provides financial assistance to landholding farmer families across the country.
Since 2014, the focus on state-centre coordination for agricultural schemes has intensified, with rural development and farmer welfare emerging as consistent pillars of central policy. Uttarakhand, a largely hilly state with significant smallholder farming communities, has frequently aligned its agricultural messaging with central government priorities under the BJP-led administration.
Stakeholders and Impact
Farmers and agricultural landowners are the primary stakeholders of the Khet Bachao Abhiyan. In a state like Uttarakhand, where smallholder and subsistence farming dominate large parts of the rural economy, campaigns focused on protecting cultivable land carry particular resonance.
CM Dhami's public endorsement signals that the state administration intends to actively participate in and amplify the campaign. The characterisation of farmers as 'the soul' of the nation echoes longstanding political vocabulary used across party lines in India when addressing agrarian concerns, though in this instance it is framed explicitly within the context of the ruling dispensation's campaign.
What's Next
Observers will watch for concrete state-level rollout announcements, including any integration of the Khet Bachao Abhiyan with Uttarakhand's agriculture department notifications or budget allocations. Whether the campaign translates into specific policy measures — such as land-use protections, updated revenue records, or enhanced outreach under PM-KISAN — will determine its on-ground impact for the state's farming communities.
The endorsement also sets the stage for potential joint events between state and central leadership on farmer welfare, particularly as agricultural policy remains a key political touchpoint ahead of future electoral cycles in the region.
Point of View
Reinforcing the party's farmer-centric political identity at both the national and state levels. The framing of the campaign as a 'people's movement' is a deliberate political signal, elevating a ministerial initiative to the register of a grassroots cause. This pattern of state-centre alignment on agrarian issues has been a consistent feature of BJP governance since 2014, serving both policy coordination and electoral communication functions. The real test will be whether Uttarakhand follows the endorsement with concrete administrative action that benefits its predominantly smallholder farming communities.
NationPress
26 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Khet Bachao Abhiyan?
The Khet Bachao Abhiyan, or 'Protect the Farm Campaign', is a central government initiative promoted by the Union Agriculture Ministry under Shivraj Singh Chouhan, aimed at protecting cultivable farmland and supporting farmers across India.
What did CM Dhami say about the Khet Bachao Abhiyan?
CM Pushkar Singh Dhami said the Khet Bachao Abhiyan has become a 'people's movement' under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi and Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and described farmers as 'the soul and architects of the nation's destiny.'
Who is leading the Khet Bachao Abhiyan at the national level?
The campaign is being led at the national level by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
How does Uttarakhand's endorsement affect the Khet Bachao Abhiyan?
Uttarakhand's formal endorsement by CM Dhami signals state-level participation in and amplification of the campaign, though specific state implementation details and budget allocations are yet to be announced.
What is PM-KISAN and how does it relate to farmer welfare campaigns in India?
PM-KISAN is a central scheme launched in 2019 that provides direct income support to landholding farmer families across India. It forms part of the broader national agricultural welfare framework within which campaigns like the Khet Bachao Abhiyan are positioned.
