The Kisan Diwas or National Farmers’ Day is annually observed across India on 23rd December to commemorate the birth anniversary of Chaudhary Charan Singh, the 5th Prime Minister(PM) of India (1979-1980). He was born on 23rd December 1902 at Noorpur in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh(UP).
He is popularly known as the “champion of India’s peasants”.
- The day also celebrates and honours the contribution of the farmers and their importance in the development of the country.
- The Kisan Diwas 2021 marks the 119th birth anniversary of Chaudhary Charan Singh.
Background:
i.In 2001 the government of India has decided to recognise 23rd December, the birth anniversary of Chaudhary Charan Singh, of every year as the National Farmers’ Day to recognise his contributions towards the upliftment of farmers and the development in the agriculture sector
ii.The first National Farmers’ Day was observed on 23rd December 2001.
About Chaudhary Charan Singh:
i.Chaudhary Charan Singh, a member of the Indian National Congress(INC), was first elected to the UP Legislative Assembly in 1937 from Chhaprauli and represented the constituency in 1946, 1952, 1962 and 1967.
ii.He served Uttar Pradesh in various capacities such as Minister for Justice and Information and Minister for Revenue and Agriculture and others.
iii.He became the first non-congress (Bharatiya Kranti Dal) Chief Minister(CM) of Uttar Pradesh in 1967, and later in 1970.
iv.He has also served as the 3rd Deputy Prime Minister of India in 1979 and later became the 5th PM of India in 1979.
Reforms:
i.He was the chief architect of land reforms in UP.
ii.He also played a major role in the formulation and finalisation of the Debt Redemption Bill in 1939 which brought great relief to rural debtors.
iii.He was also instrumental in bringing about the Land Holding Act 1960, which aimed to lower the ceiling on land holdings to make them uniform throughout the State.
Books and pamphlets:
Abolition of Zamindari
Co-operative Farming X-rayed
Peasant Proprietorship or Land to the Workers
India’s Poverty and its Solution
Prevention of Division of Holdings Below a Certain Minimum
