GUWAHATI, Oct 29 -��Our government realises the dignity of a farmer�s hard work and toil while growing food for society. For that reason, the State government has initiated schemes like Chief Minister�s Samagra Gramya Unnayan Yojna, Mukhyamantrir Krishi Sa-Sajuli Achoni, Ghare Ghare Pukhuri Ghare Ghare Mach, etc., so that the farmers can derive benefits. We are embarking on the journey to fulfil Prime Minister Narendra Modi�s vision of doubling farmers� income by 2022.��
Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today said this while speaking as the chief guest at the Krishak Samaroh programme organised by the Agriculture, Horticulture and Food Processing Department at the Veterinary College playground, Khanapara. Highlighting the Central government schemes like Kisan Man Dhan Yojna, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojna, etc., as the indicator of the PM�s commitment towards the farmers, Sonowal said CMSGUY with a budget outlay of Rs 30,000 crore is the State Govt�s strong move to transform the rural economy.����
Saying that 20 lakh farmers have been provided soil health cards, he stated that farmers must know the quality of their farming lands. He also stressed the need to provide water health cards to the farmers.�
He also informed that five lakh farmers in the State had been provided one-time grant of Rs 5,000 for buying farming tools and equipment under Mukhyamantrir Krishi Sa Sajuli Achoni during the previous year and six lakh more farmers would be covered under the scheme this year. He said the Modi government had released Rs 1,200 crore for implementing various welfare schemes for farmers.�
Referring to the exposure tour to Vietnam provided to 14 model farmers of the State, Sonowal said the farmers could learn the modern techniques used by the Vietnamese farmers to increase output. He said officials of the agriculture department helped the farmers keep in close touch there and called upon the officials here to go to the farmers to enquire about their problems rather than making the farmers come to their offices.
Saying that the Indian Agricultural Research Institute was being set up at Gogamukh in Dhemaji district where Prime Minister Modi laid the foundation stone in 2017, Sonowal urged the educated youths of the State to take up farming as a means of self-employment by adopting modern technology. He said the State government was providing subsidy up to Rs 25,000 in agricultural loan amount of Rs 1 lakh and said that farmers must take advantage of such schemes.����
He exhorted the farmers to strive for increasing production to capture market in today�s competitive age.�He also urged them to engage in organic cultivation by taking advantage of the State�s fertile land. Recently, farmers from Assam could export their produce to Abu Dhabi, London, Hong Kong, Singapore, etc. More farmers should try to capture the international markets, he opined.���
Sonowal distributed power tillers, rice mills, lentil mills, Soil Health Cards, solar powered pump sets, sprinkler machines and seeds to the beneficiaries.��������
Agriculture Minister Atul Bora also spoke on the occasion, elaborating on different activities undertaken by his department for the development of farmers.
