Golaghat, July 16: “Farmers are the backbone of our nation and agriculture is the foundation on which Indian culture and civilization has thriven over thousands of years. We cannot dream of a bright future for Assam without including farmers in the roadmap of development,” said Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal while addressing thousands of farmers at the Krishak Samaroh which was held 14th july at Cinatoli in Golaghat district.
Organised jointly by the Mega Mission Society of the Chief Minister’s Samagra Gramya Unnayan Yojana and the Department of Agriculture, Government of Assam, the Krishak Samaroh was organized in line with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to double the farmers’ income by the year 2022.
Referring to the recent hike in MSP for Kharif crops for 2018-19 season which was approved by the Union Cabinet recently, the Chief Minister reiterated the Government’s commitment towards doubling farmers’ income by 2022 through greater emphasis on generating higher incomes for farmers.
The Chief Minister ceremoniously distributed 13 big tractors, 10 power tillers, 2 mini rice mills to two Self Help Groups, 10 soil health cards and land patta to five beneficiaries during today’s programme.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Agriculture, Atul Bora urged the farmers of the state to work hard to achieve the vision of doubling their income by the year 2022. Minister Bora highlighted the innovative scheme taken up by the Government – the Chief Minister’s Samagra Gramya Unnayan Yojana – under which 26,000 revenue villages in the state will receive on tractor each at a cost of around Rs.30,000 crore. In his speech, the minister informed that in the last two years, the Department of Agriculture has distributed around 8000 power tillers and around 1.5 lakh soil health cards among farmers of the state. He also said steps are being taken to improve the overall irrigation scenario in the state to boost farmers’ productivity.
Water Resources Minister, Keshab Mahanta, Rajya Sabha MP, Biswajit Daimary, MLA Khumtai Mrinal Saikia, MLA Dergaon Bhabendra Nath Bharali, MLA Tingkhong Bimal Bora, Addl Chief Secretary, Agriculture, V.S. Bhaskar, IAS, CEO, Chief Minsiter’s Samagra Gramya Unnayan Yojana, R.T. Jindal, IAS (Retd), Commissioner and Secretary, Amlan Baruah, Secretary and Director (i/c) M.S. Mannivannan, IAS, Secretary, Vinod Seshan, IAS, Deputy Commissioner Golaghat, Gaurav Bothra, IAS along with Agriculture departmental and senior district administration officials were present in today’s meeting.