MAJULI, Dec 30 - �By providing seeds of various crops to farmers after the sowing period is over, the State Agriculture Department has actually favoured only a few departmental officials and some middlemen. In reality, no farmer has benefited from the Government scheme of providing seeds to farmers free of cost,� a group of farmers of Bhakat Chapori area of Majuli told this correspondent.
Bhakat Chapori of Majuli is famous for its large production of farm produce like sugarcane, pulses, peas, mustard, potato, cabbage etc.
Kaliram Kalita, a farmer who has cultivated 60 bighas of pulses, 30 bighas of mustard, four bighas of vegetables, 12 bighas of peas and sugarcane, and two bighas of lemon with a lot of labour and earned almost five lakh rupees this year, informed this reporter that actually the Agriculture department has no fruitful scheme that can motivate the youth to associate themselves with agriculture, due to which the young farmers don�t have the courage to give their whole effort to agricultural works.
Kaliram Kalita, who has been earning his livelihood since the last 25 years from agriculture and also giving higher education to his three sons, said that human beings get the supply of food only from the farmers and in this situation, in the context of assistance of the government to farmers, we can see a completely opposite picture in Majuli in comparison to the farmers of the other State of India or abroad.
The farmers of Bhakat Chapori also accused that the officials of the Agriculture Department, by deceiving the farmers are actually neglecting them. When the sowing season is over, then only they complete their duties by giving seeds to some persons of their choice. In this regard, Kalita also added that instead of the scheme of free seed distribution, the Government should survey the actual families associated with agriculture and offer them economic assistance through banks. Through this system, the farmers will be directly benefited by the governmental support.
To become self dependent in agriculture, a farmer needs a couple of bullocks, irrigation system in their fields and some agricultural equipment. In this situation, the farmers urged the Agriculture Minister that department should be in tune with the rapidly changing time and technology, instead of remaining satisfied by distributing two kg potato, one kg pulse, three kg mustard seeds and one packet of tomato seeds.
Another young farmer of Bhakat Chapori, Pabitra Kalita, said that the area has a huge potential for producing molasses and the need is to prepare Government schemes to expand the new technologies here. He also demanded that the farmers be trained on the developed technologies of sugarcane and also how to face problems like inability to preserve the molasses produced and damages of raw materials etc.
The farmers also requested the Government to set up a sugar factory here and thereby inspire the farmers. To sell pulses, the farmers have to take the help of middlemen, due to the unavailability of a proper market. So, they also urged the Government and the district administration to take some initiative in this regard.