Stories of change, the path to developed India

My first stop was the historical site of Hampi, located in the newly formed Vijayanagara district. The ruins of Hampi left me with both awe and sadness. Hampi, once the magnificent capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, was described by the Portuguese traveler Domingo Paes, who visited around 1520–22 during the reign of Krishna Deva Raya as “the best provided city in the world”, its capital “as large as Rome and very beautiful to behold”, a city “full of wealth and precious stones…where they sell everything”.

From the spectacular desolate ruins of Hampi, I traveled to the Kalyana-Karnataka region, whose geography itself tells a story of extreme conditions. Within Kalyana-Karnataka, Krishna-Tungabhadra Doab There is a lush green landscape with paddy fields, sugarcane and banana plantations breaking the monotony of precariously inclined reddish-brown granite boulders and in the interior lies vast arid country, notorious for its drought. Historically, most of Kalyana-Karnataka was part of Hyderabad State (except the combined Ballari district, which was previously under the Madras Presidency) and still bears the scars of the Nizam’s misrule. For example, Kalaburagi has the lowest per capita income in South India, and both the aspirational districts of Karnataka – Yadgir and Raichur – belong to this region. Planning here must therefore be sensitive to local variations. This is where the Government of India’s Aspirational Block Program plays an important role, focusing not only on districts but also on sub-district and block-level inequalities.

My MPLADS funds were used to support farmers in the region by bringing agro-processing capabilities to their doorstep. An umbrella brand of Kalyan Sampada (Wealth of Welfare) was created, and each district was encouraged to identify an agri-product or a set of products that could be developed into value-added goods. This initiative is in line with the vision of the Prime Minister (PM) “One District, One Product” program as an extension of Make in India. food giver (Farmer). In each district, a Farmer Producer Company (FPC) was selected by NABARD to operate the food processing and training units.

In Koppal, where per capita income is about 15% below the national average, a multi-fruit processing unit has been set up. Although the district cultivated mango in about 6,000 hectares (hectares), papaya in 5,000 hectares, guava in 3,000 hectares and tomato in 2,000 hectares, it lacked processing facilities. This is the first fruit-processing unit in the district, which now processes these fruits into products like mango juice, dry mango powder, guava nectar, tomato puree and ginger powder, ensuring farmers benefit from value addition. This unit can process about 2% of the fruits produced in the district into juice/pulp, and there is immense potential for many more units in this district.

In Raichur, an aspirational district known for its large pulse production – 80,000 metric tonnes of red gram and 34,000 metric tonnes of Bengal gram annually – the new processing unit focuses on converting these pulses into arhar dal, chana dal and ready-to-make chilla mix. The unit can procure-process-market about 1% of the total pulses produced in the district. At least 50 such units will be required to process about 50% of the total pulses produced in the district. Therefore, this initiative serves as a model for emulation for other FPOs and rural entrepreneurs in the district.

Ballari, the chilli capital of Karnataka, produces about 44% of the state’s dry chillies. The Siruguppa block here contributes the maximum cultivable area, yet farmers have to transport their crops to Byadagi market, about 250 km away – a journey of more than five hours. To address this, we set up the first chilli processing unit in Siruguppa. Supported by my MPLADS allocation, NABARD assistance, and funds from A Contribution of 12 lakhs from Siddhagangasree FPC, this facility is a good example public participation -Citizen participation in development. Ambaresh Gowda, President, FPC, shared his excitement that farmers across the taluk have been calling him to sell their produce locally, and they are happy to have modern machinery for chilli processing. The unit has received orders for around three tonnes of dry chilli powder from across India – a first for the sector. Mallamma, a chilli farmer, expressed happiness that they will now process their chillies and market them under their own brand.

In Kudligi taluk of Vijayanagara district – one of the driest regions in the southern peninsula – the story is one of resilience. Despite low rainfall the people have shown amazing foresight; Their century-old tamarind trees bear fruits, which form the backbone of livelihood in the dry season. Planting and nurturing more tamarind trees will help in livelihood. Groundnuts are cultivated in an area of ​​more than 33,000 hectares, mostly on poor soils due to irregular rainfall. Additionally, farmers also face the threat of attacks from sloth bears. The newly established center focuses on the production of peanut butter, roasted peanuts, etc. ChikkiSeedless tamarind, and tamarind pulp. FPC plans to add an oil press to produce groundnut oil.

For decades, cooperative movements in states like Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka have served India well. FPCs build on the strength of collective action, linking it to corporate discipline and governance. Owned by farmers and structured to compete in modern markets, they symbolize the next era of India’s agricultural transformation. Interacting with these FPC members, I can feel their vitality and confidence – ready to deliver on the promise of a developed India.

This approach perfectly complements the Prime Minister’s call to be “vocal for local”. When each village learns to process its own produce, the results increase manifold. Farmers receive higher, stable prices for their crops, neighborhood youth find local employment, and rural communities acquire new technical and business skills. At the processing unit in Koppal, I met Aishwarya, CEO of Gavisiddheshwara FPCL, a young BTech from Kinnal, famous for its GI-tagged wooden toys. He spoke with confidence and guided me in his actions. His enthusiasm was infectious. He embodied the spirit of a self-reliant, aspirational young India.

These units are located in rural areas of some of the most underdeveloped areas of India. Each FPC prioritizes employing local youth, creating a cycle in which benefits and growth circulate within the same community. The result is not just economic progress but a reestablished sense of dignity and self-reliance. During a conversation, a director of FPC told me something very poignant: He no longer gets ration under the Public Distribution System because he is now a director of a company. There was a rare mix of emotions – the loss of an advantage that had given a sense of security versus the pride of earning through one’s own effort, now that opportunity and access had been made available. That transformation – from a welfare beneficiary to a business leader – is the essence of the strong growth we must aim for across the country.

Agro-processing today demands capital, technology and market linkages. In an increasingly protectionist global environment, strengthening our domestic food processing capacity is a national security priority. Self-reliance in food processing ensures resilience against global disruptions and also creates rural prosperity.

India is ready for this leap. In the true spirit of cooperative federalism, the Center and the States should join hands to scale up and replicate these successful models across the country. The path to a developed India will be paved not just in cities or industrial hubs, but in our villages – by empowering farmers as entrepreneurs, converting every district into a processing hub, and ensuring that the fruits of India’s progress reach every household.

Nirmala Sitharaman is the Union Finance Minister. Views expressed are personal