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Influx causing population boom in NE: NEC

By Raju Das

SHILLONG, July 20 - Influx from foreign countries is the cause of population explosion in the North East, North Eastern Council (NEC) Member, Chandra Kanta Das said here.

Speaking on the sidelines of a review meeting, Das said on Wednesday that due to the influx from foreign countries the NE has witnessed a population boom over the decades.

Later, during a review meeting on Agriculture and Allied sectors at the NEC Secretariat, Das said, �With the explosion of population in the region, the average land holding is only about one hectare in Assam and less in other States and therefore we need to produce more from the limited available area,� Das said during the meeting.

The meeting was attended by officials from the region�s Planning departments, North Eastern Regional Community Resource Management and North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Limited.

Highlighting the problems plaguing the development of the Agriculture and allied sector in the region, Das said issues such as unavailability of quality seeds, poor connectivity, limited availability of arable land, erosion and other factors needs to be addressed.

Stressing on increasing productivity as well as cropping intensity for food security, Das said, the region needs simultaneous development of Animal Husbandry sector.

�Piggery, poultry, goat rearing need to be increased as a large percentage of the population in the region are non-vegetarian,� the NEC member said.

Das further underlined the need of vesting land rights to farmers, improving access to bank loans for agricultural purposes and conservation of agricultural gene pools of the crops grown in the region.

Das said there is a need therefore to formulate a Perspective Regional Plan for Agriculture and Allied Sector for the region apart from State-wise review of ongoing NEC funded projects.

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